Endgame Broke My Heart
by InnitMarvelous-archived
Summary: As the title says, Avengers Endgame broke my heart. In this umbrella title I will be posting whatever pieces I am inspired to write because of the movie. Pepperony of course with perhaps a few other pairings thrown in too! SPOILERS FOR ENDGAME
1. In Between Us

Once he knew Pepper was okay with him pursuing going to the others to make an attempt to bring back everyone Thanos murdered, he had FRIDAY to make travel arrangements so he could leave in the morning for the Avengers compound. When that was done, he put his phone aside and looked at his wife, "Soooo, what should we do now?"

As she kept looking over the book in front of her, Pepper could hear what she knew was hint in his voice even as she felt his eyes _caressing_ her form. She let a few seconds pass, "I guess maybe _you_ should head onto bed now? It's getting late and I know you want to get an early start right?" Her words did exactly as she wanted them to do as a few seconds later, she hear could practically hear his mouth open and close before he stammered out, "Pep!"

She giggled, hearing his frustration in the uttering of her name as he stretched out the single syllable. She peeked up at him, and could see he was indeed flushed with frustration. She gave it another moment, then she marked her place in the book, and got up,

"I'm going to check on Morgan and make sure she's asleep… if you want to go get ready for bed?" She had to fight to keep from laughing again as her husband nodded while getting to his feet, heading in the direction of their room while she went up to see about their little girl.

* * *

Sometime later, when they laid with limbs and in tangled up sheets, Pepper was in that place found in between sleep and awake. She was closer to sleep than still being awake when she felt movement in the bed again. It was was enough movement to make her open her eyes since her sleep addled brain registered that her husband was leaving their bed.

"Tony?" she asked, feeling cold from the sudden absence of his warmth.

He had just pulled ona t-shirt over his head, and was weaving the arms through the holes when he looked down at her, "Did I wake you, honey? Sorry I tried not to."

"Where are you going?"

"Morgan's room."

He disappeared from their room before their daughter's name and the location of where he was going could penetrate through the fog of sleepiness, but when it did, she was sitting up in a flash. She thought she knew what Tony was about to do, and had just placed one foot on the floor when he reappeared.

She was right!

"Tony!" she whispered, loudly, once her mouth could do something besides hang open.

He didn't respond or really look at her until after he had deposited the precious little bundle in his arms down into the center of their bed, before he then got back into the bed himself. He pulled the blankets up, so his little baby girl wouldn't get cold, before he finally brought his eyes up to look at his wife. He gave her an unabashed smile, while his eyes begged her not to say he needed to return their daughter back to her own bed. As if those eyes of his weren't enough, he just had to verbally added the plea too.

"Please Pep? I just… just need her a little closer to us tonight."

_I need her to be closer to me._

She looked into his eyes, those big beautiful brown eyes, the same eyes their little girl had, eyes she ultimately had never been able to say no to, and finally she gave him a nod.

Morgan had slept the first year of her life in their room, Pepper knew after that if she didn't put her foot down, their daughter would not only be sleeping in their room but she would also be sleeping_ in_ the bed with them. When she had gotten a little older, and they were both more used to caring for her, she had been insistent that Morgan begin sleeping in her own bed in her own room. The insistence had come not because she didn't love her little girl as much as Tony but rather because she knew it would be better for the three of them in the long run because they'd all get more sleep that way. But that's not to say there wasn't an occasional night that Morgan didn't find her way into their bed like when a bad dream scared her, and she immediately came to find her Daddy. But for the most part, on most nights, their little girl slept lovingly tucked away in her own bed.

"Okay, okay, but just for tonight. Okay?" she said, acquiescing to his request.

"Just for tonight," Tony agreed with a nod, laying down beside their little girl.

Pepper watched him wrap an arm around his daughter, and gently press a kiss to her dark locks.

"I love you, baby."

His voice was so soft, so full of love for the little person between them, that Pepper had to fight back tears.

He must have felt her eyes still watching them because after a minute, his eyes opened, and he looked over at her.

"I just needed _both_ of my girls with me tonight."

He closed his eyes again, but her own stayed opened the rest of the night.

She had started to lightly doze in the pre-dawn hours of the morning when she felt Tony slip out of bed again. She stayed put in bed with her eyes closed, and heard him slip out of the room a few minutes later. She waited another minute then, made sure Morgan was still asleep before she also slipped out of bed. She grabbed her robe, and hurried after her husband, hoping he hadn't already left.

He hadn't.

She found him in the kitchen, standing but the sink with a coffee cup in one hand while his other hand was tapping the side of his glasses. She walked softly forward, knowing FRIDAY would alert him before she scared him.

"Mrs. Stark is approaching, Boss."

Tony heard the AI's warning, and lowering his hand, he turned around to see his wife, "Did I somehow wake you? Because I know I was being super quiet and…"

Pepper had crossed the remaining space between them, and silenced him with a shake of her head, "No, no you didn't wake me. I… I uh really didn't sleep last night."

"Oh. It wasn't because I brought Morgan in to sleep with us was it? If that was it, I want to say sorry you didn't sleep but I can't say I am sorry I had to have her with us last night."

She shook her head again, "No, the reason I couldn't sleep wasn't because of Morgan being in bed with us… or rather the reason I couldn't sleep with her in bed with us wasn't because of how in the way you mean."

"Wasn't because of how in the way I mean? Pep, what does that mean, exactly?"

"I… I don't know. I don't... Did you hear that? I think I might have heard Morgan..."

He did not fail to notice that while she was talking she was rubbing her hands up and down her arms like she was cold. When she stopped talking and had turned towards the direction their room was, she replaced the rubbing with wrapping her arms around her middle as though she were giving herself a hug. She didn't take more than a step away from him because he quickly reached out to grab her arm.

Pepper looked at him, "What are you… Morgan-"

"It's fine. She's fine… right FRIDAY?"

"Right, Boss. Little Miss Stark is still fast asleep."

"Thanks a lot, FRIDAY."

"You're welcome, ma'am."

Despite the situation, Pepper had to resist the urge to roll her eyes because one of the Tony's AIs had actually missed the fact she was being sarcastic. Oh well, it shouldn't be surprising since-

Tony's voice interrupted her musings, "Pep?"

He wasn't letting her arm go, and what's more when she didn't look at him or respond she heard him say her name again followed by, "Honey, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"It's nothing. I'm okay."

"Pep-"

Her head whipped around, "You need to get going, right?"

"Yeah, I do," he responded with a nod, "But first I need to find out what's eating away at my wife."

"Well, nothing is eating away at me. I just didn't get much sleep last night, that's all." He stared into her eyes until Pepper looked away from him.


	2. Time In Between

It was just after eleven PM when she heard her cell phone start to vibrate against the wood of the nightstand. Pepper quickly folded the corner of the page in her book down to mark her place, grabbed her phone, and hit the talk button, "Hey there, Handsome! What are you doing?"

"You mean besides giving the beautiful love of my life and mother of my daughter a call?"

Although he sounded tired, she could hear the smile in his voice, "Yes, besides that. How are things going there? Have you guys made any progress into this… what did you say Lang was calling it?"

"Time Heist. He's dubbed it a Time Heist…"

She could practically her his eye roll as he had repeated those words.

"nd to answer your question… we finished planning it out today, late this afternoon. Since then we've just been all trying to uh recharge and rest to get ready for tomorrow."

Pepper rubbed her stomach, feeling it suddenly twisting into knots at hearing his words, "So, you're going to do it tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Yeah we are. Tomorrow morning at oh seven hundred we're a go for Operation Time Heist."

They were doing it.

The Avengers really were going to travel through time to undo the mad Titan's act of murder than had killed half of all life in the universe.

The knot in her stomach tightened further, and her mouth felt suddenly dry. She reached over and grabbed the waiting glass of water.

"Pep? Honey?"

After taking another drink of water and swallowing, Pepper returned the glass to the nightstand, "I'm still here. I was just thinking…" She glanced at the clock, "With a seven AM go time, maybe you should be getting to bed now? I mean you're all going to be doing something that no one has done in recorded history and everyone is going to need you to be at your sharpest."

"I'm actually_ in_ bed right now. I tried to go to sleep for probably an hour before I decided to call you. My brain won't shut off, it won't stop reminding me what we're doing tomorrow is something right out of science fiction!"

"Tony, you been making plans with a walking, talking raccoon for days now along with a blue alien woman who has cybernetic body parts! So how can the fact you're all going to go time traveling tomorrow still be considering something right out of science fiction?"

"When you put it that way, it only sounds_ half_ crazy and maybe not as science fictiony as I first thought."

She heard a sigh over the line.

"I still wish there was another way to do this without messing around with time because when you mess with time, there's a good chance it's going to mess right back, and probably in ways we're not going to like. But enough about the insanity we're attempting tomorrow. I actually didn't call to talk about that as much as I have."

Pepper was about to ask him why did he called when he answered her question without hearing it.

"I called because I've been missing you and Morgan like crazy, and I wanted to hear your voice. I wish I had thought to call before bedtime for our Little Miss because I'd love to be able to hear her voice right now too. Speaking of which, how did bedtime go with Morgoona?"

"It went... like it's gone the past few nights. Morgan misses you and I will always be her second favorite person when it comes to the tucking into bed department."

"Oh come on, Pep, you know that's not true. You know you're number one to her when it comes to being her Mommy."

"Yeah, I may be number one in her eyes when it comes the department of being her Mommy, but she still prefers her Daddy tucking her in at bedtime over Mommy. I know it's a special time that you both share together, and that's okay because a little girl should get special time with her Daddy. Especially when she's as much of a Daddy's girl as Morgan is."

It was true.

From the moment she was born, from the moment she was held by Tony for the first time, there had been an instant connection between them, and their little girl had _always_ been a Daddy's girl. Her mother knew she would _always_ be a Daddy's girl, which was fine with Pepper, because she saw how much her husband not only loved their daughter, but was _in_ love with her.

Before Morgan was born, Pepper never would have thought it possible to love Tony more than he already did. But she found out that it was more than possible after seeing how wonderful a father he was to their little girl. She loved him more with every day they all spent together in their home in the woods by the lake.

She heard a sigh over the phone line, then his voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Listen, honey, I am going to try my best not to do something tomorrow that's going to get me hurt or… worse. But since I can't shake the feeling that what we're doing is really tempting fate, so you should know that I made a recording for you… and Morgan… and everyone else. If something happens… well FRIDAY will know when to play it. Okay?"

Pepper nodded, although he couldn't see her, the knots in her stomach tightening even impossibly further, breathing out, "Okay."

"I love you, Pepper. I love you so much, and the last thing I want to do is to… check out permanently on you. I mean we… I finally have everything I always wanted and… and…" He stopped there.

"I know, Tony, I know. I love you too…" They were the only words she found herself saying. She loved him more than anything in the world, except for the little girl sleeping in the room next door to her. She wanted him to come home to them but she was feeling something, something she didn't quite know what it was and it scared her. Still she wouldn't tell him not to do this and he needed to come home to them instead of going on one last mission with the Avengers. She wouldn't tell him not to do this because she did love him, too much, and she knew he'd never be able to live with not being a part of bringing back the ones they'd lost.

He would never be able to live with knowing he wasn't a part of bringing Peter back. There wasn't any doubts in her mind about this because she knew he had barely been able to live with knowing he was part of the reason the kid was no longer here.

"I love you, Tony. Promise me you'll be as careful as you can, okay?"

"Oh, I had already planned on that, honey. I am going to try to keep the stupid risks down as much as possible." But that didn't mean he'd take them if it were necessary and they both knew it. "Anyway, it's getting to be what I guess you'd call late. So I guess that means I need to actually try to get some sleep now."

Pepper held in a sigh, and although she didn't want this to end, she knew he was right, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Give Morgan lots of hugs and kisses for me? And tell her that I love her three thousand plus… no, wait forget that last part. We'll save that for when this is all over and I'm home. Just tell her that I love her three thousand… and smother her with kisses for me?"

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too, Pepper. I'll be seeing you sometime tomorrow after we get this thing done."

"Me too. Me too."

"Well, I guess there's nothing left to do but to say goodnight."

"Yeah, I guess there isn't. So uh goodnight… and have nothing but good dreams, Tony."

"Oh, I will because I will be dreaming of you… and Morgan. I love you."

"I love you."

The call ended after she finished saying the words. She sighed, fighting tears as she put her phone down on the nightstand, and turned off the light. She slid down into bed, and facing Tony's side, put her hand out on the bed, "FRIDAY, if Morgan doesn't wake up around that time, then wake me at six tomorrow morning."

"I will."

She sighed again, looking at his pillow, "I love you, Tony Stark. Please… please come back home."


	3. Minus One Day, Part 1

**AN:** Sorry my brain is stuck on sad right now and I wish it wasn't. This takes place in my personal verse with Endgame elements woven in.

**Chapter title/summary: **"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." – Winnie the Pooh

In the aftermath of the events of Endgame, Rhodey grieves for the loss of his brother.

* * *

They were the last ones to who were still at the cabin. Even Happy had left about an hour ago to take the Parkers home. Now as Pepper tried to wrangle her children into getting ready to go to bed, Monica found herself stepping outside into the quickly growing dark. She paused just a second to make use of the moon's light to confirm what she suspected, then she started to walk towards the dock.

She stopped just short of the dock, wanting to observe the man she loved more than anything before she joined him. Her husband was standing facing towards the lake which meant his back was towards her, and his arms were crossed she was sure since she couldn't them. It was quickly getting darker, almost to the point it was black out, so it took her a second or so to realize his shoulders were trembling.

"Oh my… James?" she said hurrying to cross the remaining distance between them. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders when she reached him, and had to double down on the tears in her eyes when he turned away to keep her from seeing his face.

"Oh honey, don't do this," Monica murmured gently, "Please don't try to hide your pain from me." He didn't look at her or respond to her in the least little bit, and so she tried again, "You've were so strong today, James..."

Aside from not being able to keep his tears at bay during the time they had watched Tony's last message, he had been okay. Oh there were a few times when she had looked at him she could see he was struggling to clamp down on his emotions, but for the most part this day hadn't seemed all that bad on him given what day it was.

She had finally saw him start to crumble again while they had both been watching Pepper talking quietly to her children. Monica isn't sure what precisely her husband saw during that exchange to set off his emotions. But there had been a definite moment when she heard a small, sharp intake of breath by him, and she knew he must have seen one or both of the kids do something that had reminded him of the brother he had laid to rest that afternoon.

"Please, _**please**_, just let me hold you and let go," she murmured, hoping he would do what she said instead of continuing to try to fight. For just a little longer, it did seem like he wouldn't, and Monica felt her heart further shatter., But then he turned around towards her, and what she feared would could true actually came true. The depth of pain she saw in her husband's eyes made her feel like she was staring into an abyss that she would never find her way out of again. She did the only thing she knew to do in response, which was to pull him fully into her arms, and hold him a tightly as her strength would allow her to.

She cupped the back of his head when she felt him start to pull away, and guided it to rest on her shoulder, "Go ahead and cry or scream or whatever you need to do to let the pain out. I'm here, James. I'm _**here**_. I **_love**_ you, and I'm not going anywhere."

"FRIDAY, have Jim and Monica left yet?"

Pepper's soft question came when a particularly loud crackle in the fire had jerked her out of her thoughts. She didn't know how long it had been since she had curled up on the couch but she sensed it had been awhile.

"No, ma'am, they are outside together on the dock."

"What are they doing?"

"I believe they are talking. Would you like for me to see if I can discern what they're talking about?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head, "No! Of course not! I don't want to invade their privacy!" It had been nine years since FRIDAY had been brought online but she didn't have the experience JARVIS had had and so there were still moments where she was still learning.

"Let me know when they-"

"I am sorry for interrupting you, ma'am, but General and Mrs. Rhodes are walking towards the house." A short time later when she heard the door open, she turned around to find them both in the doorway. Of course, she didn't fail to notice their fingers were intertwined... or that Rhodey's eyes looked a bit swollen and red.

"Hey," Monica started slowly, "we're uh about to head home."

Pepper nodded, pushing aside the throw she had over her legs, and then got up to go over to them. She went to Monica first because the other woman had her arms open, ready to give her a hug.

"You call us if you need _**anything**_," she said into Pepper's ear, holding her a little longer than she normally would after she felt Pepper trembling a little bit.

"I will," the still freshly made widow returned in a dull voice that did little to disguise the pain she was trapped in.

"I _**mean**_ it, Pepper. We want you to call us if you need us," she repeated as she pulled back and looked at her.

There was what could only be described as an obligatory nod of her head she turned to the man who had been her husband's closest friend, and before either of them could blink, Pepper's arms were wrapped tightly around him.

Their hug was shorter than Monica would have expected to be between them but then she knew her husband was reaching the end of his emotional rope for the day. He needed to sleep, and hopefully escape his grief during those hours. She watched as he pulled back, dropped his arms, and gave Pepper a nod that she knew said everything he didn't trust himself to say right now. With that he reached out for her hand again, and they turned to leave.

Pepper wrapped her arms around herself, then she followed them to the door, and watched as they descended the porch steps calling out, "Be careful on your way home, and_ **please**_ let me know when you get there?"

They looked back at her, with Monica voicing a response, "We will. I'll text you!"

A nod, then after a short pause, "I… I love you both!"

Rhodey looked back at her, their eyes meeting as he managed to get out, "Love you too!"


	4. Minus One Day, Part 2

**AN:** This is a continuation from Chapter 3 and again this takes place in my own verse but isn't truly on my verse because I don't ever intend to have Thanos invade in my **Greatest Reward** verse.

**EVER**.

* * *

They quietly unlocked the door and slipped inside their house. When Monica peeked into the living room while she waited for her husband to lock up again, she found what she had been expecting to find. Her Dad had fallen asleep in his favorite chair, a book laying over his chest with one hand over it. His glasses were resting at an odd angle on his face, and he was lightly snoring. She sensed her husband come up beside her.

"Hey, can you tell him thanks for coming home with Colton tonight and that I'm sorry for not saying good night?"

Monica nodded, "Of course. Are you going to bed?"

"Yes, I am.."

"I'll be along shortly. Okay?"

He kissed her, and after one last glance at his father-in-law, he started down the hallway towards their bedroom.

Once he was gone, she padded her way across the room. She carefully removed her Dad's glasses and set them on the lamp table beside the chair. She didn't bother with trying to get his book away since she knew it'd be taken care of when she woke him up.

"Dad? Daddy?" Monica said softly, trying not to scare him.

Frank slowly stirred, then after a few seconds, his eyes opened. He blinked and yawned before looking at his daughter, "Oh, I dozed off... didn't mean to. What time is it?"

"Almost eleven, Daddy."

Her father sat up in the chair, rubbing the back of his neck, "Where's James?"

"He's getting ready for bed. He said to tell you thanks for coming back home with Colton so we could stay a little longer and he's sorry that he didn't say goodnight to you himself."

He shook his head, "Oh, that man! Thanks aren't necessary, and neither is saying goodnight. I know he's not having an easy time right now. Speaking of which, _how_ is he doing?"

Monica had intended to answer his question with words but the next thing she knew, her father was hugging her, and she was holding onto him tightly.

Frank held onto her as long as she wanted, which was only a minute or two. When she pulled away, and he could see her face again, he saw her eyes were bright with tears. He already had the answer to his question but still she gave him an answer in a pained voice.

"He's hurting, Daddy. He's hurting so **much**! He and To... Tony were brothers for almost forty years. Forty years!" She shook her head, "It's not right, Daddy! He shouldn't be dead right now! He should have had many more years with us!"

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

"I mean when I think of those precious kids of his having to finish growing up without their father... and... and Pepper had to lose her husband because some ugly alien monster thought he had the right to play God... and how much he _hurt_ my husband by making his best friend... the man he loved as like his brother... Daddy, I can't help but _hate_ him and I know if for any reason he could be brought back, I would be the first one in line to kill him _myself_. If it were possible, if I ever had the chance, I would have no problems with tearing him from limb to limb for how much he hurt the people I love!"

"Oh, honey..."

"I know you and Mom taught us to **never** hate anyone. You always said there was never any reason or excuse good enough to justify hating someone but... I hate him, Daddy! I hate him with every part of my being! I hate him for the hurt he caused and I hate him for... Do you know what it's like to watch someone you love with all your heart be... in so much pain like this and you know there's **nothing** you can do to make it go away? Do you know how it feels to be helpless like that?"

Her father nodded, "Yes, honey, I _do_ know how it feels. I have known it all too well far too many times in my life. One of the first times was when your Mother died, and I had to watch you and your sister grieve. Then when Darrell was killed in New York. And then again when we lost your sister just a few short years later."

He sighed, "I know this is probably too soon to say this but I think that maybe I need to say this anyway."

Monica felt a bit nervous all of sudden, wondering what her father was about to say to her.

"Look, I know you're angry, Monica, because you're having to watch loved ones try to find their way through what seems like an insurmountable pain that will never go away for them because you have all lost two people that you loved more than words can ever express but..."

_Here it comes finally..._

"But you hating Thanos isn't going to hurt him. Even if he wasn't dead... or snapped out of existence or whatever he is. My point is that hatred doesn't ever hurt the person who is the object of the hatred, ever. Instead it hurts the person who is feeling it. If the hatred is allowed to go on long enough, it will just eat away at the person, like a cancer."

"I know, Daddy. I know. Right now I don't think that I can help how I feel because... every time I look at my husband and I have to see the pain in his eyes... well it's hard to feel anything but anger and hatred towards him."

Frank nodded, and squeezed his daughter's hand, "I know, it's hard not to be a raging lioness when someone you love is in pain. I understand that. Everything is so fresh right now."

They were only five days past what the media was calling the Battle of Earth, which meant everything was still all too fresh, vivid in everyone's minds.

"I'm not sure that even the passage of time is going to help this time, Daddy. I want it too. Of course I do, but how do you even get past a loss like we've suffered?"

"I'm not sure you ever get past this kind of great loss, honey, at least not completely."

There was a sad lilt to his voice and his daughter knew he was thinking about her mother, sister, and all the other people he'd loved that were gone from his life.

"But I do know it is possible to learn to be able to bear the pain of loss of loved ones with the passage of time. It usually comes after a lot of letting yourself feel the pain and after a lot of crying for the love ones you've lost. And you pray... oh you just pray so _much_, especially on the days when you think you, and everyone else who was left behind too, just can't take missing them for one more second!"

Monica sighed, and wiped a tear away, looking at her father, "No offense, Daddy, but with all that's happened I... I think my faith has been just a little shaken up..."

"It's understandable, given everything that's happened. Is it okay if I ask you if its been shaken to the point where you don't believe in God anymore?"

She shrugged, "I... don't know, Daddy. I don't think I've stopped believing completely but..."

"But you have a lot of questions?"

"Yes, I do."

"And that's okay."

"You don't think because I have questions I've lost faith?"

"No, I don't because I believe you can believe and trust in God and still ask questions. I don't think it's a contradiction."

She was too tired to think of anything else to say in response so she just settled on, "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, sweetheart. You know I'll be praying for you _and_ James too."

"Yes, especially for James, Daddy... and Clint. Both of their hearts are broken."

_The Lord is close to the brokenhearted..._

"I will, Monica, I will."

"Well, I am going to peek in on Colton and then head to bed. Are you going to bed now too, Daddy?"

"Yes, yes, I am... that is if you don't mind helping an old man get up on his feet?"

"Oh Daddy, of course I will!"

"Now what did I do with my- thank you!"

Monica made sure he had a firm grasp on his cane before she offered him her hand for him to take.

Frank grunted as he pulled himself to his feet with his daughter's aid, "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Daddy. Come on, let's go to bed." They walked back together towards the bedrooms where she left her father at his door. She then picked into her nephew and son's room to find the new teenager fast asleep. With a sigh, she quietly closed the door to his room, praying as she went that somehow her husband wasn't going to still be awake like she was afraid he was.


	5. Minus One Day, Part 3

**AN:** Once again this is a continuation of Chapters 3 and 4, and while it takes place in my** Greatest Reward** verse, Thanos will _**never ever happen**_ in the main branch of my verse.

* * *

Monica couldn't say she was surprised when she slipped into their bedroom, and saw that her husband's eyes were still open. She was glad that she had already gone into the bathroom to get into her pajamas, so she could just slip into her side of the bed.

"Everything okay?" he inquired.

She could hear the exhaustion in his voice, along with the pain. Her heart felt so tightly clenched in her chest that it was hard for her lungs to draw in the next breath. She had to blink away tears once more when she looked over at the man she loves. She did her best to smile, she nodded, "Yeah, Daddy just wanted to talk a little while is all."

Her husband gave an okay in the form of a nod but didn't say anything else.

She watched him for a few seconds, Monica kept her voice soft when she spoke his name,"Do you want to talk?"

"No… no not really. I think I just want to get some sleep." He left _If I can sleep, that is. _unsaid but she had known him long enough to hear the words as clearly as if he'd actually said them aloud.

Not knowing what else to do, she reached her hand out towards him, and as he intertwined his fingers with hers, she then murmured, agreeing with him, "Okay, we'll go to sleep then."

"Goodnight, Moni. I love you."

"I love you too, James. If you can't sleep and I am asleep, don't hesitate to wake me?"

"I uh..."

"It's okay if you wake me up. I promise."

"Okay."

It wasn't exactly an enthusiastic response but she reseasoned to herself, he did give affirmation in some way. It wasn't satisfying but Monica didn't want to push it so she just gave a nod. She waited until he closed his eyes, before she closed her own. Their day had been so long that it had felt like it would never end, and she knew he had to be exhausted because she was, It wasn't surprising to Monica when she heard his breathing begin to even out.

"Lord, please help him... help us _all_ with this. We're missing Tony and Nat so much."

She thinks it was probably around two hours later when she woke up and didn't know why. She stayed awake because she didn't hear the sound of her husband's breathing beside her. She turned over, touching his empty side of the bed, and there was no warmth left on the sheets. He'd probably gotten out of bed shortly after she'd finally fallen asleep. After a moment or so,she grabbed her robe, and went in search of her husband.

She tried the living room first. He wasn't there. Next she peeked into the kitchen, and wasn't there either but he had been there, the still warm tea kettle on the stove was evidence of that. Leaving the kitchen, she continued on with her search, walking back down the hallway towards the only other place where she thought he might be inside the house. When she reached her destination, she stopped wondering how she missed the fact the door was partially open, a telltale sign that he was indeed inside since the door was always kept closed.

Knocking softly on the half closed door to his office, she pushed it open, "James?" She received no response as she stepped into the room, "James, honey?"

"Hey, what are you doing up?" he asked, not turning around from large picture window he was sitting in front of.

Not that she could blame him since the window allowed for a gorgeous view of the stars above on a night as clear as this one appeared to be. The view was breathtaking but sad because she knows the man she loves might be staring at them, but his eyes weren't seeing anything tonight

"I think that's supposed to be my question to you," Monica said as she moved around his desk and placed an arm around his shoulders.

"I couldn't sleep," he finally admitted, "Or I guess it's more accurate to say, I couldn't _stay_ asleep."

"Couldn't stay asleep, hmm?"

"Mmm, yeah."

"I hope that's not coffee in your cup then!"

"Decaf."

"Ah."

"You don't have to stay up with my, you know," he told her after a little bit of silence.

"Yes, I know but I don't have to go bed either." She heard him sigh.

"Look, Monica, I know today was tiring and long for you too. So you can go back to bed. I'm okay, really."

"No, you're not," she replied running her fingers through his hair.

"Mon-"

"James, I know you're not okay because you can't be. Not yet anyway... not when the man you loved like he was your own brother di… isn't _here_ anymore and you don't know what to do with the pain that's causing you. Now I know the circumstances aren't exactly the same thing, because this loss was a very, very sudden one, but I do know that is _how_ you are feeling because I felt the exact same way after cancer took my little sister away from me."

He nodded, "Yeah, I know I'm not okay okay. But what I meant was, it's okay for you to go back to bed. I mean there's really not much of a point of both of us missing out on a good night's sleep."

"I would agree with you on that, but do you really think that I will be able to get a good night's sleep if I know that my husband is sitting alone in a dark room instead…" _Grieving for his best friend and brother that he's lost,_ "... of being in bed with me? I mean would you be able to get any sleep if I were the one out here instead?"

"No, no I guess I wouldn't. I know I wouldn't be able to if..." His voice trails off, and he looks at her, "But I still can't go back to bed right now. Every time… Every_ time _I close... I close my eyes and all I can see is..."


	6. Melody From Another Room, Part 1

**Chapter summary:** A look into Tony, Pepper, and Morgan's lives in the future after Endgame.

**AN:** Believe it or not I started this during Pepperony Week 2019, and well could not finish it obviously. It's taken me over a month to get as far as I have on it.

This will be a multiple chaptered story and I will update it again when I can.

* * *

"It was great seeing Peter again, wasn't it?"

"Huh? What?"

They had just left from a visit with Peter and his family in Manhattan.

Pepper smiled, and repeated her question to her husband. Over the years, due to many of the things he'd subjected it too in his younger days, Tony's hearing had decreased. She wondered sometimes if he regretted the things he did to damage it, like including all the times he blasted his _music _at mind-numbing, ear shattering, and sometimes _headache inducing _decibel levels down in his workshop.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the biggest smile appear on his face. Tony always enjoyed whatever time they got to spend with their kids, which was harder to do now they'd moved back to California to stay. The move came after their retirements: Pepper had stepped down as CEO of the company after a thirty-two tenure, and a fifteen year one for Tony teaching a few classes at his old alma mater.

"Yeah, it was a great visit with the kid," he said, his voice wistful, perhaps longing, "You know, I love living in back out west again but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it with the kids all still living on the eastern side of the country?"

Pepper had had similar thoughts about their move to California since she had turned Stark Industries over to Peter. She missed them too, as much as Tony, and really wished she didn't have to pick up the phone every time she wanted to have a conversation with one of them.

"Maybe we should consider start spending half of the year in New York?" she suggested.

"Or maybe we could just move back to New York to stay for good? Seriously, Pep, I know that I said that I might like the climate in Malibu better in the winter months than I do New York, but I have started to wonder if it is worth it since I am **missing** the kids way too much all year round!"

"I'd say that we could always move to Florida during the winter months…" Her voice trailed off as she thought about the suggestion she had just made "No, forget I said that since living in Florida would mean we still wouldn't be all that close to them, and therefore it would defeat the purpose of moving back East.""

"Yes, it would."

She reached over to grasp his hand when she heard him let out a frustrated sigh, "We'll figure something out."

"I know."

A few minutes of silence filled the car for the next few miles.

"Say don't you think it's kinda strange that Morgan's group is holding this concert thingy on a Saturday?" Tony asked as he continued watching the country landscape pass by him outside the window.

Pepper, shrugged before she said, "No, not really. I'm sure they're probably doing it so the family members of the pa... um clients can more easily attend the concert too, and not have to worry about being at work the next day."

He nodded, seeing her point. Saturday after all, is usually a day that most people have off from their jobs.

_Except our Maguna_, Tony thought, smiling brightly with pride.

Like her father, their daughter was something of a workaholic. But Morgan's parents couldn't be more proud of her and her chosen profession. Their little girl had had a love of music all of her life, which began when she started learning to play the piano when she was five years old. Oh when she was still a little girl, she would sneak into the garage every chance she got to see all the neat things her Daddy might have out there. But those times had lessened over the years when music quickly become her passion over engineering or other sciences.

She waited until late senior year of high school to tell her parents what she wanted to do with her life. She had been nervous about telling them because she knew it wasn't want exactly what they were probably expecting or wanting her to do. She was so afraid they'd be disappointed in her career aspirations because she didn't want to go into either one of the family businesses. She loved them both so much that the thought of maybe disappointing one or the both of them scared her, and she'd put off making an announcement as long as possible.

"She's so excited for us to come to this," Pepper mused, knowing her daughter was so excited at the thought of showing them some tangible fruits of all her hard work and devotion.

_"Musical therapist? What the... what exactly is a musical therapist and what exactly do they do?" Her Dad had asked once what she had said had penetrated into his brain._

_"Well, simple definition is that a musical therapist is someone who uses music to help their clients deal with whatever their problems maybe, whether their problems are physical or of a mental nature."_

_"Helping someone to be as healthy as they can be sounds like a worthy thing to do with your life, sweetheart," Pepper said, moving over to hug her daughter. _

_"So you guys are okay with this being my career?" the teen girl asked._

_"Yes, I am. In fact I am more than okay with it being what you do with your life if it's what you really want."_

_"It is, Mom. It so _is _what I want." She hugged her mother in return, noting as she pulled away that her father had yet to move or speak any further. So she turned to him, looking at him, and with trepidation inquired, "So what do_ you think, _Dad?"_

Tony watched her, noticing that she was twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers as she waited for him to give her an answer to her question. What he thought of her meant the world to her, always had because they'd always been very close for all of her life.

"Daddy!_" she groaned when he continued to not say anything._

_Finally breaking a smile, he ended her anxiousness, "I think you wanting to do something that helps other people is a wonderful idea."_

_Of course being his daughter and being so much like him, she could sense he had cut himself off there. So she asked, "But?"_

_"But what?"_

_"Weren't you going to add a _but t_here, Dad?"_

_"Not exactly... well, I _was_ but it's not the kind of but you're thinking. It's not a bad but... or I don't think it is. The but you heard but I didn't say is I want to know more about what exactly a musical therapist does?"_

_Morgan visibly released a relieved breath, making both of her parents smile, and avoid looking at each because they both knew they'd burst out laughing. The last thing they wanted their daughter to think is that they're laughing at her in a bad way._

_"Oh, that's no problem, Dad. I got FRIDAY to bookmark a bunch of online pages that talk about what a musical therapist does."_

_"Forward those pages to my StarkPad, FRI?"_

_"Already done, Boss, as well as to yours, Miss Potts."_

_"Oh thanks, FRIDAY."_

_"You're welcome."_

_"Now that's taken care of," Pepper started, "I know your Dad and I need to read up on this before we can talk more in depth with you about this, but..." She looked over at her husband, "I think we can get that done, and then we talk again. I think three days should be enough time?" Once again, she turned her head in Tony's direction._

_He nodded, "Three days sounds good. Does that work for you, Miss Middle?" He had taken to calling that since she'd hit her years of where she was not still a little girl anymore but also not quite having arrived at being completely an adult yet either. In other words, her_ middle _years._

_"Uh yeah, I... guess three days is okay. You guys are going to read everything though, right?"_

_"Yes, of course, honey."_

_"It's just I know how easily sidetracked you guys can get sometimes and-"_

_"Don't worry, sweetie," Tony said, gently interrupted his daughter, "Your Mom and I are going to read up on this and we'll be ready to talk to you about in three days. Right, honey?"_

_"Right."_

_It was probably a big shock to Morgan but they did in fact read the information on the website she linked them to. They were more than ready to talk to her about what she wanted to do as a career. They were both so excited that they both approached each other and their daughter to ask if she was ready to talk with them right then._

_Her eyes wide when excitement, and Cheshire cat style grin on her face was all the answer they needed._

Now here they were five, almost six years later from that talk with her driving through the suburbs of Boston towards the place Morgan was renting while she continued her studies. They were both looking forward to seeing her again since she hadn't been home in almost a year. In fact the last time she had visited them in California it had been Christmas time, and now it was early October.

"We have got to start coming east to visit our daughter more often," Tony said, breaking the silence that'd fallen over the interior of the car.

"Yes, we do although I'm not sure how much more we'd get to see her because since always seems to be running out the door whenever I call her."

"I just really miss her, Pep."

Pepper squeezed his hand, "I know you do."

"Like a _lot_."

"I know. I miss her too, like a _lot_."

"She grew up way _too_ fast, you know? I know there were long days and even longer nights when she was sick or it was something else going on like those nights she was impossible to keep in bed. Oh when we were having nights like those... it felt like... it felt like we were frozen in time and would never move forward."

"And let's not get started on when she was a teenager!" Pepper added.

Morgan had been for the most part a good kid after she hit her teenage years. Even so there was still a year or two when she displayed some rebellion, most of it stemming from being a Stark and not being to do somethings her friends took for granted because of it. That isn't to say there wasn't some defiance aimed against her parents, because there was. But in the scheme of things, especially now when they looked back on it now, they could see that even in those days their daughter had still been a pretty darn amazing kid.

Tony tapped his glasses with his bionic hand, "Hey FRI, how much longer until we get to Morgan's?"

"Approximately forty-five more minutes, Boss."

"Thanks, FRI," he said before he turned to his wife, "Are you okay to drive the rest of the way, Pep? Because as pretty as the fall colors of the trees are, if you are okay, I want to grab a nap."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go ahead."

"Thanks."


	7. I Will Always Find You

**AN:** Sorry I know you were probably expecting the next part of _**Melody From Another Room**_, and that is coming but the inspiration for this one came to me and I wrote it in a few hours.

**Summary:** "Do you believe in it, Tony?"

"Do I believe in what?"

"Reincarnation."

Pepper and Tony have a talk about this after the subject comes up one quiet night at home for them.

Written as a fill for **Marvel Bingo 2019** for prompt **Reincarnation**

* * *

"What are you reading?"

Tony had just finished tucking in their three and a half year old daughter into bed, and after he had added another log to the fire, he sat down beside his wife. He waited for her to respond to him, and waited, and then waited some more. Finally a minute had gone by without an answer two his question or even an acknowledgement that she knew he was sitting beside her.

"Pepper?"

She continued on with reading like he wasn't there or had even spoken.

"FRIDAY?"

"Yes, Boss?"

"Okay, good. I'm not actually inaudible… not to you at least?"

"No, Boss."

"So why isn't-"

"Tony! When did you come back?"

"About," he looked at his watch, "Five minutes ago."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't you say something? I would have put this away!" She closed the magazine she was reading and laid it on the coffee table.

"I _did_ say something! You were so engrossed in whatever it is you were reading that you didn't notice I was back. _What_ is that anyway?"

She shrugged, scooting over the length of the sofa, snuggling into his arms, "Oh, nothing. Just a magazine I got today in the mail."

"It must be some magazine to have captured your attention so thoroughly engrossed." He thought about leaning forward to get the magazine off the coffee table but didn't because he wanted his wife to stay right where she is.

Pepper shrugged again, "It's nothing, just some silly article about a woman who swears this is her ninth life."

"Her ninth life? Like as in reincarnation?"

"Yeah, reincarnation."

"Why does she say this is her ninth life?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's saying it because she uh lost her husband to… you know who, and I don't maybe she's just grieving. Maybe she thinks she's had eight past lives because she says her husband is her soulmate and he's always been with her for each of their past lives."

"Poor woman."

"Yeah, poor woman," she agreed.

She wrapped her arms around him more tightly, and quiet fell over them as they both turned their eyes to the dancing fire. Neither one of them said anything for a long time as each got lost in their thoughts. She thought about how out of every couple of the universe they hadn't been separated by the Snap while Tony's thoughts began to drift to his failure to stop the Mad Titan, which in turn of course led a certain web slinging teen from Queens.

"Do you believe in it, Tony?"

"Do I believe in what?"

" Reincarnation."

He shrugged, "I don't know. I mean I have a hard time understanding or believing in concept that there's anything more than the world we live in."

Pepper hummed, "Yeah, I think I've had doubts too sometimes. But only _sometimes_ because most of the time I do think there's something beyond this world."

"Like reincarnation?"

"Hmm, no not like reincarnation but something."

"Well if there is something after this… just know that I will find you, Pep. I will _always_ find you… because you are just stuck with me."

She pressed a kiss to one of the arms wrapped around her, "I will _always_ find you too, Tony. No matter what. I'm yours forever too, and I am not just stuck with you because being with you is everything I want **forever**."


	8. Twinkle Twinkle Tiny Star

**AN:** I know I know this isn't not the next chapter of Melody From Another Room but more chapters are coming! I just keep getting hit with ideas and I'm loving it!

In this chapter...

What if there had a been a very different consequence to Tony's use of the Infinity Stones other than death?

A fill for **Marvel Bingo 2019** prompt: **De-aging**

* * *

"How," Pepper Potts Stark began as she watched her three _kids_ run around the front yard in what appeared to be some sort of tag game, "Am I going to explain to her that the little boy she's been playing with is..." She shook her head, and sighed, "_How_ in the world do I tell Morgan that… that's Tony? How do tell her that is her Daddy?"

Although the kids, well two little kids along with one Peter Parker, were running around outside laughing and playing together, while they were_ inside_ of the house, she said the last part in a very low voice. She was not willing to take any chances of her daughter overhearing her the preposterous question.

"The answer is you don't," Rhodey said with a shrug, raising a hand to stop her from voicing what he knew she would say in answer to that. He waited until he was sure she would let him continue, "When I say, you don't, what I mean is right _now_. Since there's no way to reverse what happened to Tony right now, why not just let Morgan and him enjoy being kids together?"

"But Rhodey, she thinks Tony is her new little brother!"

Again he shrugged, "So let her. I mean Doctor Strange and his people are working on trying to find a way to reverse what happened."

Pepper nodded, remembering well what the Sorcerer Supreme had told them. He said he would consult with the masters and with every book on magic in their and his own private library to find a way to reverse what had happened to Tony. He hadn't sounded all that optimistic though that a way to reverse the Infinity Stones changing her husband into a little boy could be found.

_"Are you telling me that I might have to be a mother to him instead of having him as my husband and the father of our... my daughter?"_

_Strange had replied with a simple _yes _to her question, then added, "Frankly, the Stones, their power and the radiation emanating from them should have killed Tony. I don't understand _why _they chose to do this, but at least he's alive this way."_

The sorcerer's tone hadn't been unkind when he had stated this fact but he hadn't exactly been warm about it either. Both of them heard his unspoken implication that they all should be grateful that Tony Stark was still with them, even if he was a child now.

Pepper sighed again, "I am grateful that he's alive. I am."

"But?"

"But I have to try and make work the weirdness of the situation that my husband has been turned into a three year little boy by a set of mystical Stones that don't even exist not except in the past work! I don't even know where to begin!"

"I don't either. I wish I did and you would think that I could give you some advice since weirdness is what has defined most of the time and my experience of knowing Tony, but I don't.. Somehow though I know you'll... _we'll_ get through this. And who knows this could be one of the best things to ever happen to us all."

As the laughter of the children filtered inside of the cabin, Pepper knew somehow he was right.

They'd make it through this, and everything would be alright even if it was always weird.


	9. Melody From Another Room, Part 2

**AN:** Here is the second chapter of Melody From Another Room with more to come. Can't promise the one after this won't be something else entirely but there is more to come with this fic!

* * *

Feeling the car come to a stop is what woke Tony up. He opened his eyes to see not exactly what he'd been expecting to see. He cast a glance in his wife's direction, "Uh honey, I think we might be at the wrong address?"

Pepper was busy fiddling with her phone, her head shaking, "No, it's not. This is the address Morgan gave me for her new place."

"But we're at a church!"

"Yes, I can see we're at a church. But this _is_ the address." She showed him her phone as she was talking.

"Okay, I believe you, I believe you. Now the question is, _why_ did our daughter give us an address for a church? What are you doing?"

"Calling our- Hey, honey... yeah we're here but uh there seems to be some mistake. You gave is the address for... what's the name of this church, Tony?"

He turned his head to look for a name, and found an unexpected sight waiting for him. There at the bottom of the church's steps was a very familiar, and much beloved young woman standing there smiling... with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. It was a gleam that matched the one in his wife's eyes when he turned his head around to tell her he see their daughter.

"What the… Pepper honey, what's going on here? What are you doing?"

His wife was currently unlatching her seatbelt, and opened the car door before stated in an obvious tone, "Why, I'm going to see our daughter, of course!" She was shocked to discover in the time it had taken her to finish speaking that sentence he had somehow gotten over his own shock and had beaten her engulfing their daughter into a hug. Shaking her head, Pepper got out of the car and walked around it.

As she got close to them, she heard her daughter protest, "Daddy, not so hard!" But as she expected, the man she loved for most her entire life didn't let go of their daughter, but he did loosen his arms around her a little bit.

It was another minute or two before Tony finally let go of their baby girl, and Pepper got her turn to hug her daughter. However, her hug didn't last as long as that of her husband because she heard Tony give voice to the question she'd been expecting to hear.

"Err, Maguna honey, do you want to tell us… or rather _me_, because I have a feeling your mother already knows the answer to this,_ why_ we're all three standing outside of a church?"

Morgan could be as much as a wiseacre as her father, and of course her mother knew she was biting her tongue a little not to give the answer she was no doubt thinking. Instead, she responded in a playful way, "I uh think it might be because there's going to be a wedding in one hour, Daddy.."

"A wedding?"

"Yes."

"Okay, there's going to be a wedding. Great! Congrats to them! Now if you'll give your Mother and I the address to your new place, I guess we can go there until your friend's wedding is…" HIs voice trailed off as he noticed that both his wife and daughter were shaking their heads.

"I'm not here because one of my friends is getting married, Daddy."

"Then why did you want to meet us in front of a church, Mo?"

"Because I'm the one who is getting married in about another hour?"

"I'm sorry but could you repeat that? You know how your old Dad's hearing isn't nearly what it used to be and I thought you said you're getting married in another hour."

Morgan nodded, "That's because I _did_ say I'm getting married, Dad."

"You're getting married-" Tony started to repeat.

"Yes, in an hour." His wife and her mother finished.

Their daughter gave him an amused look, nodding her head, "Yep, I'm getting married in an hour."

Tony was starting to catch onto something, and he looked at his wife, "Uh, Pepper darling, you somehow don't seem surprised or shocked that our daughter has just told us that she's getting married in an hour."

"That's because I'm not."

Then it dawned on him, "Oh my… you _knew_? You really did_ know_ this, didn't you?"

"I might have known."

"Oh my…" He muttered under his breath, shaking his head, then looking back to his daughter, "Well, I hope it's to Carter because if it's not him, you've been leaving some details out when you called home."

"No, actually I met this guy who put Carter to shame in the looks department and I just couldn't say no to him when he said we should get married!"

She said this to him in such a deadpan voice that she knew that he for one awful second was buying it completely. She counted out ten seconds in her head, and then grinned at him as she exclaimed, "Gotcha!"

In response to this, Tony clutched his chest, "Oh thank goodness! For a second I thought that my daughter who has always had at least some of her mother's good sense had actually, in fact,_ lost_ her mind"

"Being a little melodramatic there, aren't you, Daddy?"

He rolled his eyes, and then a look of horror crossed his face, "Oh my… Are you..."

Shooting her mother a concerned glance, she stepped closer to her father, "Am I what, Daddy?"

"Um you know…"

"I do?"

"You are going to make me ask it aren't you? Alright then, are you… uh pregnant?"

"Daddy!"

"Tony!"

Before he could react to their reactions, his wife's hand connected with his left shoulder, and after one look at her face, the billionaire wisely took a few steps back. Pepper was so red in the face from the outrage she was feeling that he thought he was looking at an old-fashioned cartoon instead of his wife's face. Morgan's face mirrored her mother's , but for an entirely different reason. He knew he had embarrassed her with that question more than he'd angered her.

_She must get that from Pepper because there's no way having the ability to be embarrassed by a question about that subject comes from the _my_ side of the family!_

Looking at them both, he had to admit to himself that it was an outrageous question to ask your very grown up and brilliant daughter out of the blue.

He also noticed that Morgan still hadn't really answered his question. However one more look at his wife and daughter told him that maybe pursuing the answer might not be such a good idea so he raised his hands in surrender.

"Sorry... sorry I asked that."

His daughter nodded, cleared her throat, and put her arms around them, "Come on you guys have less than an hour to get dressed for my wedding!" She started to usher them towards the door.


	10. Heart of Hearts, Part 1

**AN: **And here's the first chapter of another multiple part story. I am shooting for 2 chapters with this one!

**Summary:** One night following a business dinner, Pepper loses something very precious and priceless to her.

A fill for **Marvel Bingo 2019** prompt **Pepper Potts**.

* * *

He entered the emergency room as briskly as walking with leg braces would allow him, and made his way straight over to the admissions desk. The young woman behind the desk looked up as he approached, and raised her hand to point at a metal stand with a dispenser on it.

"Sir, if you are not experiencing any signs of a heart attack or do not have an injury that requires immediate medical attention, please take a number, then have a seat in the waiting room, and one of the triage nurses will be with you as soon as possible."

"Oh, no no I'm not here because I'm sick or hurt. I'm here because I got a call from a friend who is currently being treated in the E.R. I've come to see about her and hopefully take her home if she's ready to go."

"Name?"

"James Rhodes."

"Your friend's name?"

Shaking his head, and rubbing his eyes he said, "Sorry, long day. Potts. Virginia Potts."

The young lady nodded, and typed in the name, "Yes, we did admit her to triage about ninety-five minutes ago."

"Can I see her please?"

"Yes, but only after I have verified that you are on Miss Potts's emergency contacts list, and I've seen some identification."

"I am on her contacts," he replied, while he pulled out his ID for her to see, "I'm listed as James Rhodes."

"Yes, sir, I see that. Thank you."

Although she didn't actually roll her eyes, Rhodey thought he heard a mental eye roll in there somewhere. But he wasn't going to say anything about it because she didn't actually roll her eyes and because he was very tired which meant starting something with her over something so minor was the last thing on his mind. Like he had told her, it had been a long day, and he had not long been in bed when-

"Yes, sir, I see your name listed under Miss Potts's emergency contacts. If you want I will call back to triage and let them know that you'd like to come back and see Miss Potts."

"Thank you."

She nodded, picked up the phone, and after dialing a number spoke into the phone. He silently stood by as she said what she had to say to get him cleared. The conversation lasted less than thirty seconds. She hung the phone up and looked back at him.

"If you go through that door there, you can go back to see Miss Potts now. She's in Triage Curtain One."

"Thank you."

He stepped up to the door she had indicated, and waited until he heard a buzzing noise before he pulled on the handle to open it. He entered the inner part of the emergency room, and was greeted by another young woman dressed in mint green scrubs.

"May I help you, sir?"

"Yes. I'm looking for Triage Curtain One." About the time he finished speaking he heard the murmur of a woman's voice that he knew.

The nurse pointed at a curtained section, confirming for him where Pepper was.

"Thanks."

He started towards the curtained area, and was stopped short of the curtain when a police officer who had been standing off to the side stepped into his pathway.

"Sorry, sir, but you can't come any closer."

Rhodey looked back at the curtain, and saw a couple more police officers were standing just outside the area, and were probably directly in front of a gurney or hospital bed.

"Could you please clear the area, sir?"

He looked at the officer, "Listen, my name is James Rhodes, and I'm a friend of hers. I'm also on her emergency contact list, and she called me, asking me to come down the hospital to take her home when the doctors are ready to release her."

"Could I see some I-"

The edge of the curtain was pulled back, and Pepper's face peered at him from around it.

"It's okay, officer. I know him."

The police man nodded, and returned to where he'd previously been standing. Pepper motioned for him to come over to where she was.

"Hey," he said as he joined her.

"Hey," she responded.

Rhodey studied her for injuries, and she looked okay except for a bandage around her left wrist. Hopefully it was just a sprain and not actually broken.

One of the police officers cleared her throat, "Um, Miss Potts, excuse me, but we have a few more questions we need to ask you, ma'am."

Pepper nodded, giving them a quiet, "Okay."

He didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt the police officers any further. He put a hand on Pepper's shoulder to let her feel he was there, and would be there when she needed him.

Another five minutes total went by and they were as alone as someone can be in a hospital ER with only a curtain giving them privacy from the outside world. Once they were gone, Pepper looked at him and crumbled.

"Hey, hey, there. It's alright," Rhodey said, immediately enveloping her in a hug, "I know you're a little banged up and all but that's all right?" A doctor hadn't been back to see her, and she hadn't told him anything herself because the police just left literally a minute ago, but yes, she seemed to be okay.

Well there was the fact her wrist was hurt too, and she might have a bruise on one of her cheeks but she was okay. She was as _okay_ as someone could be after what had happened.

Pepper continued to cry for a few minutes though, and because she's always been one of the strongest people he's ever known in his life, but she had been irrevocably changed after Tony died, and Rhodey is at a loss what to do. So he just keeps on hugging her, and he lets her cry it out. She is just about settled down when another person dressed in scrubs, this time a man, appears at the foot of the curtained area they're in.

"Miss Potts?" he asked cautiously.

With a couple of sniffles, Pepper pulls back from Rhodey, and while wiping at her eyes turned her head to look at him, "Yes?"

"I'm Doctor Baker," he said, "I have taken a look at your x-rays and..." He trailed off with what he was saying, the direction he was looking in was that of Rhodey.

"Oh, it's okay, doctor, he's family. You can say everything in front of him."

The doctor nodded, "Okay, then. Your wrist isn't broken but you do have a very bad sprain. Before we cut you loose, I would like to put a splint on it so remains immobile. You will need to rest it for the next forty-eight hours and apply ice compresses. You can use frozen vegetables for that, just make sure you wrap them in a towel, and don't leave it on your wrist for any longer than ten minutes at a time. You'll also need to elevate your wrist to where it's above your heart, try using a pillow or the back of a chair to help with that."

"What about pain?" Rhodey asked since she didn't.

"Over the counter pain meds will do fine. Just make sure it's an anti-inflammatory like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask me?"

"How long will it take for my wrist to heal?"

"Normally if the sprain is a mild one, a few days to one week. But in your case, although it doesn't require surgical intervention, your injury may take anywhere from a few weeks to heal completely to maybe a month or two. There's no way of knowing exactly."

Pepper nodded, "Okay, thank you, doctor."

Doctor Baker waited a beat to see if either of them would say anything else, "Alright, I am going to send a nurse over to splint your wrist, and we'll get you out of here."

"Thank you, Doctor Baker."

He gave them a nod, and disappeared, jotting down something on the clipboard as he went.

"So," Rhodey began once they were alone, "Can I ask you what happened exactly? Because when the hospital people called, beyond telling you were not seriously hurt or didn't have any life threatening injuries, they wouldn't tell me much."

"Well, I went to a business dinner earlier tonight, and I got mugged afterwards."

He gave her a long look. He had already figured out as much. "Happy wasn't with you."

"No, he wasn't, and before you say I should have had him with me, the dinner was in a very upscale part of Manhattan where I didn't think I would need him to be with me." Tears started glistened in her eyes again, "But that was stupid obviously, and thanks to me doing something so stupid such as not having Happy or someone with me, I've lost something I won't ever be able to replace."

Rhodey felt the knot that had been in his stomach since he had gotten a call about her being in the emergency room tightened when she said this. What _exactly_ did she mean she had lost something that she couldn't replace?

As if she was reading his mind she told him, "What I mean is I've lost one of the necklaces given to me by Tony."

"He stole one of the necklaces that Tony gave you?" he asked slowly, as though he were uncertain as to whether or not he had heard her correctly.

Pepper looked at him, nodding, and she was about to confirm what she said when she was interrupted by the arrival of the nurse.

"Okay Miss Potts, I'm here to put the splint Doctor Baker would like for you to wear on... that is if you're ready for me to do so?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Well, let's get you splintered up so you can get out of here and maybe get you home in time to get some sleep!"


	11. Sandra's Cakes and Confectionery, Part 1

**AN: **Here is another fill I wrote for Marvel Bingo. This one will have two parts and will feature my first attempt at writing Nebula (in second chapter).

**_Summary: _**"Miss Potts?" The AI ventures, sounding uncertain. "Yes, FRIDAY?" she responds without stopping the movement of her fingers on the keyboard. "Miss Potts, there has been a few calls to Boss's old number." A fill for 2019 Marvel Bingo prompt: Pepper Potts

* * *

_Click clack._

_Click clack._

_Click clack._

Pepper typed away on a report that she wanted to get finished before twelve o'clock rolled around because she had some place else to be besides her office when the clock reads noon on the dot. Specifically she would be spending the afternoon at the spa with Morgan, and one other surprising addition to their spa date. Morgan had asked if her Aunt Nebby could come with them on their mommy/daughter date, and of course Pepper had said yes while adding _only if Nebula wasn't in space then_. To her utter shock, she had gotten a message from FRIDAY that very morning informing her that Nebula had arrived and would be joining them when she went to pick her daughter up from school.

She shakes her head as she tries not to think about how crazy her life still is, even after all these years. Tony had been gone almost five years now, but his daughter who was very much **his **daughter kept Pepper on her toes. Morgan is the reason she got out of bed every morning..

She is on the part of the report she knows will be the end of it, and she's typing away like a mad woman. She knows it will probably have typos galore but that is why she'll have FRIDAY give her personal assistant access to make minor corrections like any typos before it gets sent to the various people who need to see it. She is literally on the last paragraph when FRIDAY speaks.

"Miss Potts?" The AI ventures, sounding uncertain.

"Yes, FRIDAY?" she responds without stopping the movement of her fingers across the keyboard.

"Miss Potts, this morning there have been a few calls to Boss's old number."

Her hands stopped moving, "W-what did you say?"

"I said, there has been a call to Boss's old number."

At hearing the AI repeat herself, she felt a tight knot form in her stomach, and she had to take a few deep breaths to abate the sudden need to throw up. She had been doing so good this morning, considering that today was the fifth time she had spent their anniversary without _him_. She swallowed hard again, trying to keep the tears at bay, before she asked, "Who are the calls from, FRIDAY?"

Why she had kept Tony's old cell phone number active was beyond her. Actually, she guesses she did know why and it is because for the first few years after Tony's death, Peter would send texts to it. Of course the kid knew he would never get any answers back, but somehow the act still brought him comfort. But she knew it had been a few years since he'd sent any texts so maybe it was time she had the number deactivated, once and for all.

"The information on the caller Identification traces back to a business called Sandra's Cakes and Confectionery. What would you like to me to do, Miss Potts? Shall I answer the call or perhaps you would like for me to block the number?"

"Block the number, FRI?"

"Yes, they have called Mr. Stark's line three times this morning."

It was curious that they'd call Tony's number three times because she knew Sandra or whoever was on the other end of the call had to know Tony was dead. The _entire_ world knew he was gone, and they had known it for years. So _why_ would Sandra or whoever it was keep calling his line?

"Miss Potts?"

She made a decision, "Put the call through, FRIDAY."

"Are you certain?" the AI uncharacteristically questioned.

"Yes, put the call through."

"As you wish."

She waited for a second or two to pass, then said, "Hello?"

"Uh... hello, Mrs. Stark?"

"Actually, it's Miss Potts." Although she would have Tony's name inscribed forever on her heart, Pepper had decided to start using her maiden name within the first year of Tony's death. She would always be Virginia Pepper Potts Stark, but for her sanity's sake and her ability to heal somewhat she knew she had to stop using the name Stark.

"Oh, pardon me please, Miss Potts. This is Sandra Beeman, owner of Sandra's Cakes and Confectionery. I don't know if you remember me-"

"I do indeed remember you, Miss Beeman. How could I forget the woman who made the cake for our... my wedding, and had my... husband raving over how good it was for days afterwards?"

It was true. Tony couldn't stop talking about the coffee and cream cake Pepper had bought ahead of their wedding. It'd been hard to find and almost a miracle she could find anything like a bakery open less than two months after the Decimation had happened.

But she had, and the resulting cake they'd shared at the small dinner they'd had with the only three who had attended their wedding, had helped in ways she couldn't even count to this day. For one thing, she was almost certain the luscious dessert is one of the things that actually had helped Tony to begin to regain his appetite. Although he been eating, he had still been far too thin when they'd gone to city hall to get married. She knew until he had taken the first bite of Sandra's cake during their wedding day dinner, food had held no real appeal to him.

"So, Miss Beeman, may I ask _why_ you called?" _A phone line you knew the original owner would never be able to answer you._

"Um yes, I know that he's not he... not able to answer anymore but there is something... an issue I feel like I need to try to get resolved in order to keep my peace of mind. I just don't feel right about this if I don't make an effort to do just that."

What issue? What issue could the baker who had made a cake for them from such a long time ago?

"I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about or mean, Miss Beeman."

"Please call me Sandra or Sandy if you'd like."

"Alright then, but only if you will call me Pepper."

"Uh, okay, if you would like me too."

"I would."

"Alright... Pepper. I will explain what my issue is, about a year after I made the cake for you, Mr. Stark contacted me to make an arrangement with me."

"Arrangement?"

"Yes, an arrangement, and the arrangement he made with me is that in ten years time that if I was still here, still in the business of making cakes, he said he wanted to go ahead and put in an order for one for your tenth wedding anniversary. Now as I understand it, today is in fact the day of your anniversary, and I am sorry to say I would not be able to make a delivery today because I haven't made your cake yet. I do apologize for that. But I wanted to be certain that you still want the cake?"

Tears had pooled in Pepper's eyes while she was talking, and for the first time today, she felt like she felt like she might actually lose the battle with her tears.

"Hello? Miss... um Pepper? Are you there?"

Wiping away a stray tear or two that had escaped, she took a deep breath, "I'm here, Sandy. I uh... yes, I still want the cake if you're willing to make it."

"Oh I sure am! I can have it ready by late morning tomorrow if that's a convenient and good time for it to be picked up?"

"Alright Sandy, I can be by tomorrow to pick up the cake but I think it might be in the afternoon before I can make it. Will that be okay?" She had thought about telling the woman no, but the truth was she wanted to see the older, diminutive woman again. She wanted to eat a piece of the wonderful cake again, and remember how her husband's face looked the moment he'd taken his first bite.

"That will be fine, Miss... sorry_ Pepper_. I'll have it all packed up and ready to go whenever you get here. Now one last question for you if you don't mind?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want the very same cake or would you prefer some other flavor combination? I only ask because I seem to recall reading a few years back that you and Mr. Stark had a daughter, and well I guess coffee might not be something she would like?"

Pepper swallowed down the lump in her throat, a few swallows required to get it down, "Believe it or not, Sandy, she... our... my daughter does like coffee. Not that I let her drink it but she's had some coffee flavored things, like ice cream. She loves it." _Just like her father._

"Okay so you want the cake just as I made it all those years ago?"

"Yes, just... just like you made it all those years ago."

"One cake like I made then coming right up for tomorrow. I guess I'll see you sometime tomorrow?"

"Yes, you will."

"Well, now that is taken care of, I guess I should let you go. I have a few other orders to fill today along with this one. Have a good rest of the day, Mi... Pepper."

"You too."

"Thank you. Bye for now."

"Bye for now."

She heard the click and she knew the other woman had hung up. She sat back, staring at her computer screen. After a moment, she asked, "FRIDAY, have you saved Miss Beeman's number?"

"Yes, I have."

"Good."

"Do you need anything right now, ma'am?" The concern in the AI's was unmistakable, and it touched her heart even as it made the ache grow.

She snatched a tissue from the box, she shook her head, "No... no I don't. Thanks, FRIDAY."

"You're welcome."

She was so glad that she was on the last paragraph of her report because otherwise she knew she never would have finished it today. Blinking away the last of her tears, she pushed aside the memories of the call her brought forth, and typed out what she needed to get it finished.

"There, done and done. Send a copy of this to my assistant, FRI, and make sure a copy is saved for me." As she spoke, she had gotten up from her chair and had begun gathering her things.

"Copies saved and sent. Will there be anything else?"

"No, FRIDAY, that will be all right now."


	12. Heart of Hearts, Part 2

It was almost an hour later before Pepper walked into the city apartment she shared with her daughter. It was only after she had taken her heels off, and rubbed her tired feet did she look in Rhodey's direction. He had followed her in, telling her he wanted to make sure she got in safely. She gestured for him to be quiet pointing towards the couch where a familiar form lay fast asleep.

Peter had stayed with Morgan tonight while Pepper had been away at her business dinner. He loved her like the little sister he had never had before, and he loved spending as much time as he possibly as he could with her especially since he was going into his last year of college.

Rhodey frowned when he saw Peter knowing that having a conversation with Pepper now wouldn't be possible tonight. They were both exhausted, so he didn't ask for them to talk in another part of the apartment. He just gave her a hug instead, whispered for her to take care of her wrist, and wished her good night before he silently slipped out. '

After Rhodey left, Pepper looked down at Peter's sleeping form. She debated on whether or not she needed to wake him so he could go to sleep in his own bed. She decided against it in the end since the way he sleeping didn't look like it'd leave him with unwelcomed soreness come morning. She also didn't feel like having a conversation with him at this time of the morning about why her wrist was in a splint. Instead, she got a blanket for him, then covered him with it. She went to check in on Morgan to make sure she was asleep and appeared to be comfortable before she got ready for bed, and went to her room.

Sitting down on her queen bed, she looked over at the three pictures on her nightstand. The first and third pictures were of Tony with Morgan at different times of the early tender years of her daughter's life when she had her father still with her. In one of the pictures, it was taken shortly after she was born. She smiled sadly at the picture, at how Tony was so fascinated with the little face he was gazing down at. He'd been so enraptured he hadn't even noticed when she'd snapped the picture with her phone. In the second picture, Morgan was sitting on Tony's shoulders, giggling at something silly her Daddy said or did.

The middle picture, the one she was staring at now, was a black and white photo of Tony by himself, again taken by her. This time he had been aware she was taking it, and he had cocked his head to the side, a smile gracing his lips, and love shining in his eyes.

She reached out towards his picture with her uninjured hand, and she bit back the sob she wanted to let go. She wanted to scream, and scream and scream until her throat hurt but she didn't. She couldn't. She knew that she couldn't because her daughter was sleeping in the room next to hers. She couldn't do what she wanted to do so much because she didn't want to scare her daughter or the young man who was now like a son to her. So she settled for crying using her hand to muffle the sound.

_I lost it, Tony. I lost it! I lost it because I was _so stupid_!_

Was she stupid because she wore the necklace out? Or was she stupid because she went without Happy or having some _kind_ of security with her? Or was it a combination of both? Did it _really_ matter at this point? Because whether it was one or the other or if it were both, the necklace had been stolen away from her ! She had no doubt that at this moment, the person who had it in their possession was trying to find a way to fence it for maybe a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. She knew that she had lost the necklace **forever** just like she had lost the love of her life and just like with him, she knew she would never lay eyes on it again.


	13. Heart of Hearts, Part 3

**AN:** The conclusion.

* * *

It was four days after she had told Rhodey and Pepper everything that had had the night she was mugged, that she worked on some paperwork after dinner Morgan was sitting close to her on the floor at the coffee table. The little girl was working on a drawing of some sort that would no doubt turn out to be a masterpiece once she was finished with it. The fact that the little girl was finally returning to her art made her mother smile. Morgan had always loved to draw but she hadn't wanted to do it for a long time after her Daddy's death. The fact she was starting to draw again was something Pepper knew was a good sign because it meant that things were slowly starting to approach what would become their new normal in life. She knew them finally beginning to find their new normal for their lives after such a long, hard road was something she knew her grief counselor would call a good thing when she shared the news with her.

Pausing her work a moment to watch her daughter, Pepper couldn't help but hope that perhaps being an artist would be what Morgan decided to do with her life. Life as an artist would be quiet, safe, and so completely unlike her father that even now Pepper knew it was a hope in vain because Morgan reminded her so much of Tony in so many ways.

_I can still_ hope _though_, she thought to herself.

"Miss Potts?" FRIDAY said suddenly, interrupting her ruminations along with the quiet of their evening.

"Yes, FRIDAY?"

"Peter Parker has just arrived in the building and asked me to inform you of his presence."

_Hmm, I wonder what he wants? _Of course she always welcomed Peter to visit them at any time, but he was usually more conscientious about calling her before he would come over.

"Peter says that he needs to see you alone, ma'am."

She glanced over at Morgan, and was relieved to see that the girl was still engrossed in her drawing. She put aside her paperwork, "FRIDAY, ask him to come up and we'll talk in my office alone."

"Yes, ma'am."

With that, she once again turned to her daughter, "Morgan honey?"

"Yes, Mommy?" the little girl replied, while she kept on scribbling her colored pencil across the paper.

"Sweetie, we're about to have a visitor."

This made Morgan finally stop and look at her mother, "A visitor?"

"Yes, a visitor."

"Who?"

Pepper hesitated in answering her, because what sort of excited reaction she knew her answer would solicit from Morgant. But, she decided, there was no getting around it because she would see for herself as soon as Peter arrived.

"It's Peter, sweetie," she said. and as she expected, Morgan's eyes lit up after hearing her brother's name. "Morgan, Peter is visiting because he has something he wants to talk about to me... with_ Mommy_ about and he needs to talk with Mommy alone. So after he gets here, and after you tell Peter hello, we're going to go talk in Mommy's office. Alright?"

She truly hated seeing her daughter's face fall with disappointment. Morgan adored Peter so much, and Pepper was sure that her daughter, with Peter being so busy with other things, felt like she didn't get to see him as often enoughShe knew Morgan felt this way because she herself felt exactly the same. But that was life sometimes, she knew, and Peter was working hard to live his life in a way that would make all the people he had loved that he had lost in his young life proud.

When she realized Morgan had not given her answer, she prompted her, "Okay, sweetheart?"

"Okay, Mommy," Morgan replied, clearly not liking this.

Her timing was good because as soon as she had finished speaking, the doorbell rang. Pepper got up to answer it, but of course Morgan beat her over to it. Thankfully the eight year old knew she wasn't supposed to unlock the door.

She opened the door without bothering to make sure it was Peter on the other side since FRIDAY would have alerted her if it were someone besides him.

"Peter?"

His back had been facing the door way as he looked down towards the end of the hallway. He turned around at hearing her say his name, and immediately saw she was standing there with her arms opened wide. With a smile, he accepted the hug she was offering to him.

"How are you doing, Peter?"

As they pulled apart, he answered her with a shrug, "Oh, I'm okay."

There was something underlying his tone that belied his words. He sounded a little tired to her, so she asked, "Are you_ okay_?"

"Yeah."

The moment ended as they both her a squeal of, "Petey! Petey! Petey! Petey! Petey!"

He looked over Pepper's shoulder to see a certain little girl bouncing on her feet, holding her arms up indicating she wanted a hug. Peter exchanged an amused look with the little girl's mother, and braced himself for her to fly at him once her mother moved aside. He settled down on one knee a split second before her little arms were encircling his neck.

"Petey, I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, burying her face in his neck.

Although it had only been a few days since they'd last seen each other, Peter went along with it, "I'm missed you too, night monkey."

Then just like with any other time she had watched them together, Pepper found herself blinking away tears while her thoughts went off to her lost love once more, _Tony, oh how I_ wish_ you could see them together._

It was a dream he never got to see realized and that **hurt** her more than she could convey.

"Okay, Morgana, I need to talk to your Mom alone now," Peter patiently said after a few moments of conversing with her.

"Petey, nooooo!" the little girl whined in response.

Pepper's mouth was open to say something but stopped herself when Peter shook his head. She nodded, and stepped back to allow the young man to handle it.

Peter turned his attention back to his little sister once he knew it was okay for him to handle the situation, "We're just going to talk for a little while and then we'll do something together. Okay?"

"Can we go swinging?"

Of course he hadn't missed the horrified look on her mother's face, and he was quick to answer her, "No, of course we can't go swinging!"

"Why not?"

Boy he now regretted the times he had taken her swinging through the trees at the lakeside cabin. He'd been extra careful when the couple of times they'd done it, like making sure they were closer to the ground than to the top of the trees, and he had made sure that he always had an iron grip on her. But they were in the city right now, and he knew there was just no way he could safely take her swinging while they were there.

"Because I'm not wearing my web shooters, silly goose!"

"But don't you have your special bag?" She asked pointing to his messenger bad which was slung criss cross over his body. She was too aware, and too familiar with his habit of carrying the shooters in his bag when he wasn't wearing them.

"Yeah, I do have my special bag with me, squirt! But they're not in there today!" He was so glad that he in fact had not put them in there today because he didn't want to have to lie to her. He wanted Morgan to be able to trust him always, and building that trust with her meant he couldn't lie to her.

She gave him a deflated, "Oh."

"Sorry." He stole a peek at Pepper, and she gave him a relieved nod. He returned his eyes to Morgan, "Okay, your Mom and I are going to have our talk now."

"Okay."

The little girl still sounded reluctant about them going to talk in another room without her but at least she wasn't fighting them either of them over it. Pepper told Peter to go ahead to her office, telling him she'd follow there in a second. He stayed in the hallway long enough to hear her setup Morgan with one of her pre-recorded TV shows, before he stepped into her office.

While he waited, Peter looked around the room. He noted a long time ago that Pepper had kept the room's decor simple but always classy. The walls were painted in a soft cream color, and a dark wooden desk near the back wall of the room. In the opposite corner, a matching bookcase had been placed. Of course since she was none other than Pepper Potts, everything he could see on the desk and bookcase were in the neatest, most organized order. His eyes were eventually drawn to the various family and friends some photos that Pepper had placed throughout the room. He tried not to study them in depth because he knew _whose_ face he'd see among them.

It had been five years since they'd lost Tony. Peter was doing okay, a lot better than he had been after it had first happened. For the longest time afterwards, he didn't think he would ever be able to get over watching Tony take his final breaths in front of him. Tony's death had hurt him as much as his Uncle Ben's had. He still had some days where something would trigger the hurt all over again, and make him feel like it had just happened the day before. But those days were coming less and less now, and because he didn't want to ruin the streak of good days he'd been having by looking at the pictures now.

"I'm sorry about that," Pepper said as she came into the room and closed the door most of the way.

He turned around, smiling, "It's okay."

She walked over to the couch in another corner of the room, and sitting down, gesturing for him to join her. She waited until he was sitting by her to ask him, "How are you _really_ doing, Peter?"

"I'm good." When she raised a skeptical eyebrow, he hastily added, "Really I am. I mean I'm a little tired but…" He shrugged, "that's because I've been so busy with school and work and..."

Pepper laid her hand on his arm, and squeezed, "Alright, Peter, I believe you. You don't have to keep going on to convince me!"

He nodded, falling quiet, smiling as his cheeks flushed a little, and he dropped his head, "I just don't want to waste it you know? I mean me having the best life I can is the only way I know how to... to _thank_ him for... for..." Peter gulped, and looked away from her, blinking back tears.

She watched as he took in several deep breaths, trying to get a hold on his emotions. She gave him a moment to wrestle with his feelings before giving his arm another squeeze, "Peter? Please listen to what I want to say to you, okay?"

A nod was the only response she got from him but it told her he was listening.

"You don't have to keep doing certain things to the point of exhaustion or _burning_ yourself out just to show you're grateful for what Tony _did_."

Wet eyes met her eyes, "I'm not. I'm not doing it just because I'm grateful! I'm... I am doing it too because wherever he is, if he can see me... see us... I want him to be _proud_ of me too!" He turned his head away from her again, raising a hand to swipe away what she knew was a tear.

"Oh honey, I know I asked you to listen to me before but I _really need_ you to listen to me now, alright? I think you need to know and _understand_ something very important. First of all, Peter, I know I have told you this before but I am going to say it again because I think you need to hear it again. Tony loved you so much. You are part of the small circle of people he **loved** so much that while you were gone, he was never quite the same. He couldn't or wouldn't be the same as long as you were gone. And don't you dare say the words_'But he had you and Morgan and and...'_ Yes, he had us and loved us too, more than anything. But Peter, even with us with him, his heart was incomplete. Do you know _why_? It's because while you weren't here, he also had a Peter shaped hole in his heart that _no one_, not even Morgan or I, could **ever** fill. Okay? You hear what I am saying to you, Peter? You were _special _to Tony, and were you loved by him. Don't you ever **ever** doubt it again."

Peter nodded, sniffling a little bit as Pepper pulled him into a hug.

"I mean it, Peter. This is the _last_ time I ever want you to doubt how Tony felt about you. Okay? You hear me?" As she began to pet his hair, she felt him nodded against her shoulder. They stayed this way for a few minutes, and then Peter pulled back, wiping at his eyes with his the heel of his hands. "Feeling better for real now?"

He bobbed his head, "Yeah, a little..." A tissue appeared in his field of vision, and taking it he gave her a small smile, "Thanks."

She gave him a little time to allow him so he could pull himself together, then she gently asked, "So, what was it you needed to see me about?"

Peter wiped his nose again, and he picked up his messenger bag from the floor. He opened it, reached inside, and just before he pulled out whatever it was inside he looked at her, "I wanted to see you because I wanted to give you this." He pulled out a blue jewelry box and held it out towards her, "This belongs to you."

"This belong to..." Pepper repeated, not sure she understood the meaning of his words but nevertheless took the box into her hand, "What do you mean?"

He smiled at her, "Well you've gotta open it to see."

In her heart, she already knew what she was going to find once she had removed the box's lid. But even so, when she put aside the lid and saw what she _knew_ would be there, she still gasped. Then all she could do was stare at the contents of the box until her vision started to blur.

"Uh, Miss Potts?" Peter said, voice tinge with concern, "Are you okay?"

Pepper's answer to his question was for her to throw her arms around the young man and hug him as tightly as she could, "Oh Peter, thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome," he muttered in return, then asked again, "Are you okay?" To his relief, she pulled back, nodding as she did. He grabbed a couple of tissues from the box and offered them to her like she had for him just minutes ago.

Nodding, she took the tissues, wiped her eyes, and then looked at the necklace again. Running her fingers over it, she reassured him, "I'm... so much better than I was on the night that I lost this." She looked up at him again, "Oh Peter! Where did you find this? _How_ did you find this?"

"Uh where I found it?"

She nodded again.

"Let's uh just say that I found it in an interesting part in town and..."

_An interesting part of town?_ Pepper knew the translation for that meant something along the lines of, **It was actually a dangerous part of town!** Pepper swallowed hard at the realization, even while she imagined how Tony would have reacted at hearing that Peter had gone after the guy who had mugged her. She didn't doubt he wouldn't have liked it one bit and neither did she really.

"Peter, while I don't know _how_ to thank you for getting this back for me, I _really_ wish you hadn't put yourself in a dangerous situation like that. Yes, losing this **hurt **me so much but... but getting it back wouldn't be worth it to me if _you_ had been hurt..."_ Or even worse, killed!_

He shrugged, "It wasn't a big deal at all, Miss Potts. Not really. See all it took to find it was sending out a few drones to do a little surveillance, and I found where the guy was trying to sell it off to some other guy, who I think was a black market creep or something."

"Peter..."

"It's okay, Miss Potts. I promise 'cause even if I hadn't surprised them... they were way too busy and focused on how much black market guy was gonna pay the stupid robber guy to even notice I was watching them! Even when they did notice, they weren't really a match for me!" When she raises a skeptical eyebrow in his direction, he added, "I promise I wasn't in_ any_ real danger!"

She had watched him as he talked and Pepper could tell that he was _probably _holding something back.

_Oh well,_ she thought, _Might as well better let it go unless you want to accuse him of lying. Just be_ grateful _that he this back for you, Potts!_

She was grateful too. With Tony gone, there would have been no way for her to _ever _replace so precious a gift. Although the same was true if he were still with her since the metal he had used to make it had been the shrapnel that'd been embedded around his heart for years following Afghanistan.

_But if he were still here, you wouldn't need to have the necklace!_

"Miss Potts?"

She heard Peter saying her name but she didn't respond to until he did something he'd only done a handful of times over the years.

"Uh... Pepper?"

The sound of Tony's old nickname of endearment falling off of Peter's tongue broke the spell the necklace had cast over her, and she raised her eyes up to his concerned face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She slowly nodded, "Yes, I'm okay. I just...I just thought this was gone and I don't know what to say other than thank you so **much **for getting this back for me, Peter!"

Peter's face flushed, and he gave her what she was sure was an embarrassed smile, "You're very welcome, Miss Potts, but like I said it wasn't that big of a deal."

Pepper had been about to reassure the recovery of the necklace was indeed a big deal but FRIDAY broke into the conversation, "I am sorry to interrupt, Miss Potts, but I think young Miss Stark maybe be getting bored. The third episode of her program just finished playing and she isn't sitting as still or as quietly as she did during the first two episodes."

"Hmm, I guess that means we should..." she glanced at her watch as she spoke, "Wow! We've been here longer than I thought we were!"

Peter looked at his own watch, "Yeah wow, I am _really_ surprised that she's not interrupted us before now." He knew how much Morgan loved playing with him and it looked like their playtime tonight would either be very short or canceled all together since he was certain his little sister still needed to get a bath. "Hey, since it's getting close to Morgana's bedtime how about I come over tomorrow night after dinner and spend some time with Morgan?"

Placing her chin on her hand for a moment, she considered it. then she nodded, "Okay, but only if you don't have something else already planned for tomorrow night."

"No, I don't have anything already planned."

Something told her that wasn't exactly true but she decided not to press the matter any further. She decided to press another point instead, "Okay, then it is a deal if and only _if_ you'll come over to have dinner with us too."

He only hesitated a second, "Okay, I can come for dinner too. That's no problem."

"Well, I think we have a deal then, Mr. Parker."

"Yeah, I think we do, Miss Potts."

Pepper rose from her seat, "As much as I hate to disappoint Morgan tonight by telling her you two can't play before she goes to bed, I suppose I need to get it over with."

"Yeah," Peter agreed, hating the thought to himself, "But hey maybe it'd soften the blow a little if we said it's okay I read to her or maybe tell her a story? That is, if that's okay with you if I do?"

"Of course it's okay, Peter. Come on, let's go talk to her before she-"

"MOMMY!"

Shaking her head, Pepper asked, "Why don't you go tell Little Miss about the change of plans while I put this away?"

Peter nodded, "Okay, Miss Potts."

After he left her office, she went over to her desk where FRIDAY had already opened the drawer for her, "Thanks, FRI. Locks this up please and restrict access to this draw to me only until further notice."

"Yes, Miss Potts."

She kissed the jewelry box before putting it inside the drawer, and watched as the AI closed it.


	14. Black Squid

**AN: **I hope everyone enjoyed this and **HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TONY STARK**!

* * *

"Okay, I will see you Sunday afternoon," May Parker said, giving a little wave towards her nephew through the cracked car window, "Have a good time, sweetie, and have fun!"

"I will! Have a good weekend, May! Bye! Love you!"

"Love you too! Byyyyyye!"

She finished turning the car around, and started to drive off as Peter yelled, "Call or text me when you get back home!"

She gave him a hand gesture that she had heard him and would do as he asked, then she set off down the driveway. He waved again until she disappeared from sight, and then he adjusted the duffel bag in his shoulder before heading to the cabin. He looked at it for a moment, wondering _why_ no one had come out of the house to greet him yet.

Shrugging he walked up to the cabin then climbed up the short set of stairs, stopping at the front door, which was open. He rapped his knuckles against the wood. When he received no answer, he put his bag down then used both hands to shield the sun's glare from his eyes so he could look inside.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

No one answered but clearly there had been people in the cabin today as he could see a few mugs placed strategically here and there on high flat surfaces out the reach of a certain three year old boy. Along with the mugs he could see what looked to be a few toys on the floor (wow he was surprised Pepper had let _that_ one slip by), along with some articles of clothing that he was pretty sure was from Morgan's costume dress up wardrobe.

"What the… FRIDAY, where _is_ everyone?" Peter finally asked after he almost smashed on a yellow crayon into the carpet.

"They are all outside in the backyard, Peter. Boss Lady said for you to come on out after you get settled in."

He nodded at the AI's words, went to his room to deposit his duffel bag on the bed, and then headed towards the backdoor of the house. He opened the door, and although he didn't immediately see anyone, he could hear peals of children's laughter.

"FRIDAY, are they at the playhouse?" he asked while he was still close enough to the cabin for the AI to hear him.

"Yes, Peter, they are."

"Okay, thanks." Now he knew where to look for them, and he started walking towards the woods.

Morgan's playhouse (and now Tony's as well) had been placed just inside the border of the woods, right at the edge, and was on the ground since it was not in fact a tree house. The outside of it looked like an elongated miniature version of the Stark family cabin, and the outside were not the only thing that resembled their home either. Of course Peter had been invited inside several times during past visits and of course since it was made for someone more of Morgan's (and now Tony's) height, he had had to duck down to go inside but to say what he found inside was worth it would be an understatement to say the least.

Inside were miniaturized versions of the furniture and appliances that replicated that of the main house perfectly . Of course the appliances were only approximations of the real ones in the Starks' home itself since their main purpose were to encourage Morgan to use her imagination and there wasn't any electricity inside the little mini cabin.

As he walked he could hear Tony's tiny voice, and he was so focused on that voice that he didn't hear the breathing of the two nearby, hidden adults. So when one of them stepped suddenly out into his path, he jumped. Fortunately for him, it was only Colonel Rhodes who was... wearing black bandanna tied around his head, and had a silver earring in his left ear? He wore a stained black and white wide striped shirt with torn, cut off pair of jeans.

"Heave ho, ye landlubber!" he cried, and pulled something from his belt.

Peter's eyes immediately followed the movement, and what he saw in man's hand surprised him, "Is that a sw-sword, colonel sir?"

With a wave the answer to this question was, "No, me lad, this here be a cutlass! Ye better learn fast me lad if ye wanna join the crew of the good ship, Black Squid! Isn't that right, Seasick?"

Movement from the corner of his eye caught Peter's attention, and he turned his head to see Pepper standing there with what looked like a gun from _Pirates of the Caribbean_ **aimed **at _him_! He looked over at her over noting she was wearing a white button down shirt that was three sizes too big for her with most of the buttons undone (she also had on a black tank top underneath), with the tails of the shirt tucked into a pair of black leggings.

Raising his hands into the air, Peter muttered, "What the heck, Miss Potts?"

"Who?' Pepper responded, "The name's Seasick Bernice Bootylicker, and this here's Peg-legged Custard Crunch!"

"Aye, lad, and ye better not be forgetting it unless ye fancy a walk off thar plank!" the man who he knew to be James Rhodes before now said seriously.

Peter looked back and forth between them, and gulped, not sure what he was in for this weekend as the two adults he expected to be the _adults_ of the weekend seemed to have lost it!

The_ seriousness_ of the two adults lasted for another few seconds before the man calling himself _Peg-legged Custard Crunch_ (what the _heck_ kind of a name was _that_ anyway?) dropped his sword, um no_ cutlass_, and started to laugh. When the woman he knew as Pepper Potts aka Mrs. Pepper Stark did the same thing and dropped her pistol looking weapon, Peter felt even more confused.

"So, uh, you guys wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked mildly, slowly lowering his hands.

Rhodey was the first to recover, and nodding said, "Yeah, sorry about the greeting we gave you, Pete. Hope we didn't actually scare you there with how serious we were being?"

Peter decided to play it cool, and not let on just how fast his heart was beating in his chest, gave a shrug, "Aww, I knew you guys weren't being serious. So what's up? Why are you both dressed like and going by corny sounding pirate names?"

"Well," Pepper jumped in, "It's because for the weekend, we _are_ pirates!"

"I'm sorry but what?"

"It's pirate weekend at the Stark residence!" Rhodey replied.

"Uh, okay but can I ask _why_?"

"Because for some reason, both Tony _and_ Morgan are obsessed and want to play pirates with the three of us this weekend!"

"I hope you don't mind, Peter," Pepper added. "I know this wasn't exactly the weekend you thought you'd be having here."

"No, of course I don't mind! Sounds like fun! So, if I'm going to play too, I need to come up with a pirate name, right?"

Rhodey put a hand on his shoulder, "It's already taken care of!"

"Oh, okay. So what's my name?"

"You'll find out soon enough but right now we should take you to meet the Scourge of the Seven Seas whose name makes lesser men shake in their boots!"

"And what name would that be?"

"The one and only great Captain One-eyed Diablos Rojos Poopdeck of course!"

"Did you just actually say _Poopdeck_?"

"Yes, I said Poopdeck!"

Peter not only doubled over but had to sit down on the ground he was so weak from laughing.

"What... what _kind_ of name is Poopdeck?"

"You'll find out, landlubber!" Rhodey replied, going into character.

"Aye, ye will! One yer feet, you scurvy dog!" Pepper added, also resuming the game.

With a nod, Peter got to his feet.

"Tie him up!" Seasick ordered.

"Aye!" Crunch responded, this Rhodey told Peter quietly, "Just put your hands behind you like they're tied. We don't really have any rope!"

Peter nodded, and placed his hands behind his back.

They each grabbed an arm.

"If I were ye, ye son of a biscuit eater," Seasick added as they started walking towards the ship, "I wouldn't let the Captain hear ye laugh at his name or you libeled to get yerself keelhauled!"

"Aye, the Captain don't take kindly to being mocked to the face, lad!"

"I'll try to keep that in mind!"

"Ye do that, lad, if ye want to live to see the sun come up tomorrow!"

Instead of taking him to the playhouse as he expected, they _led_ him to a small group of rocks that, Peter supposed, was serving as their ship for this game. They stopped walking just short of the _ship_, and Rhodey shouted, "Ahoy thar, Cap'n! "Peg-legged Custard Crunch n and Seasick Bernice Bootylicker request permission to come aboard the Black Squid! We have a prisoner who wants to join yer fine crew, Captain!"

Peter expected Morgan, who was dressed in a similar way to her mother, to be the one who responded to that. Instead it was Tony who turned around, and eyed them with his visible brown eye.

When he saw Tony, Peter once again had to fight to keep from falling to the ground again with laughter. Tony was obviously the Black Squid's tiny captain with a big name. He looked more adorable than fierce with his really big hat, and (almost too) long purple pirate coat. He had a patch over one eye, to live up to the _one-eyed_ part of his name Peter supposed, and there was a tiny wooden sword in his hand. The fact the tiny child had such a serious look on his face too didn't help when it came to containing his laughter but somehow Peter managed to hold it in.

"'mission granted, Peggy!"

Peter decided at that moment the greatest weapon the pint-sized pirate captain had was the fact he was so very very darn cute, and he couldn't contain himself anymore, "I want to join your... oops yer crew, Captain!"

So that's how Peter Parker joined the crew of the Black Squid, and became the scoundrel pirate known as Toothless Bratwurst Pete.

The crew of the Black Squid sailed every weekend that summer, bravely going on all sorts of adventures, fighting dastardly villains and seeking far flung treasures of the imagination. When things were finally back to normal, if they ever were, Peter knew he would always look back on the memories they made as the _real_ golden treasures of that summer.


	15. Minus One Day, Part 4

**AN:** Although this takes place in my verse. I am acknowledging MCU events and feelings, so I'm afraid this chapter isn't very Steve Rogers friendly. If you have problems with anything short of praise being heaped on Cap, hit the back button NOW please!

* * *

The sight of the Avengers all, one by one by one, dropping down to one knee in honor of the man who had been his best friend, his brother, was almost a sight more than Rhodey could bear. However, the alternative was he would have to once more take in the sight of Pepper and the Spider-Kid crying their souls out beside the body that had once housed Tony's spirit. He knew he could not handle watching them grieve and keep what little control he had left over his own. But soon he realized how much he was between a rock and a hard place because it came over him as he continued to watch as those who had never honored his brother in life, and were now daring to honor him in death, wasn't the best idea option. The only option he had left was to close his eyes, and he embraced it without hesitation.

He really couldn't say how long he stood like a sentinel over Pepper and Peter's grieving forms as they held onto what remained of Tony, but he only moved again when he heard three voices talking in quiet tones close by. The first two voices he identified immediately belonged to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner, but the third voice, he didn't know who it belonged to.

"We… we need to move him… soon..." he had heard Bruce say, the gentle green giant's voice thick with grief as well as total exhaustion.

The unfamiliar third voice joined in on the conversation, sounding somewhat clinical to his ears while at the same time, somehow not sounding completely callous, "Yes, the Stones need to be removed as soon as possible."

There was a lull in the conversation, then he heard Bruce again, "The question is, uh, where are we going to move him to? Thanos, he... the Compound is completely gone."

"I wish to offer a solution." T'Challa had joined the circle of discussion that was far away enough from Pepper so she wouldn't hear what they were saying, yet close enough for all of them to maintain their vigil over Tony and to a lesser degree, the Stones themselves.

"As King of Wakanda, I would be humbled if my people are given the honor of sheltering the physical remains of Earth's greatest protector until such time he has been laid to rest by his family."

Even though he felt an immense measure of gratitude at T'Challa's offer, Rhodey was sure they would have to turn the king down. He knew that flying to Wakanda from here would take hours, and with the sharp pain of grief in his chest when the realization hit him anew, Rhodey knew they needed to get Tony's body somewhere cold soon if they wanted to keep the decomposition process from going any further than it already had. Before he could muster the fortitude he needed to voice his thoughts, the unfamiliar voice broke in once more.

"If Mrs. Stark gives her consent for T... so that he can be moved to Wakanda, I will open a portal for him to be carried through so he can be taken to Wakanda in a few short minutes instead of long hours."

At hearing this, Rhodey finally opened his eyes, and scanned the four who were gathered nearby. The owner of the unfamiliar voice wasn't quite what he was expecting as he was dressed in antiquated robes, and had a cloak fluttering around his shoulders that looked even more ancient than all the rest of his attire.

He must be the wizard Tony talks... talked about before.

"If she's even capable of giving her consent right now."

Sam joined the conversation, "Steve, man, I hope you realize just _how_ cold that sounded just now."

"It did?"

"Yeah, man, it did."

"Well, I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it _that_ way. I wasn't trying to be cold when I said what I said. I was just imagining how I would feel if I had just lost the woman I love. I'm just worried that she... Pepper is not in a place right now to be able to think about anything other than the fact Tony's de... Tony's de... Tony's gone now."

"Whether or not she's actually in any condition, the fact remains she _is_ Tony's wife, which means _she _gets to call the shots when it comes to the disposition of... of his… of _him_."

"Even when she's obviously been uh incapacitated?" Steve asked, holding up his hands in a visible gesture of surrender and peace, "I know what I just said may have sounded cold too but I am not trying to be cold but more on the pragmatic side about this instead."

"You can be pragmatic all you want but it's still _her_ call."

_Oh, man, Moni how I _wish you could be here to talk to her. At the same time he had this thought, he was also grateful that she _wasn't_ here. The thought of her having come face to face with the terror of Thanos's army, or bearing witness to the agony of watching Tony slip away, made him thankful that she wasn't here now in person to help console Pepper.

When he decided that couldn't take listening to them anymore, Rhodey turned around, exchanged a brief look with Thor who nodded at him, and then stepped closer, as if taking up his former position of guarding. Confident he'd read the Asgardian right, Rhodey walked over to join their circle.

"Actually, after Pepper it's _my_ call since Tony gave me power of attorney to act on his behalf if something should happen to Pepper too."

"If it comes to you having to make the call, and I mean _if_, would you be willing to make it, General?"

The fact Rogers had went with using his formal military rank over using his name or even Rhodey didn't go unnoticed by the man he was addressing. But after what just happened, what he'd just lost, Rhodey found himself actually Especially since grateful for the formality. Tony had been the one to give him the nickname Rhodey, and to hear it coming from anyone else's mouth when he was lying dead only a few feet away from the spot where he was standing in would be more than Rhodey could bear.

"Rhodey?"

Of course, the universe couldn't or wouldn't afford him the courtesy of everyone here _not_ using Tony's name for him.

_At least it's Banner and_ not _Rogers_. he told himself, trying to cut the hurt a little.

"Rhodey?"

Taking a breath, he looked up the green gargantuan, "Yeah?"

"Did you um hear what Steve asked you just now?"

He was glad that Bruce didn't ask him if he was okay since that would have been a very dumb question right at that moment. "Yeah, I heard him." He looked at Rogers. "Yes, I will make the call if and only if we determine that Pepper is actually incapacitated. Otherwise, no I won't do it because it would be stepping on her _rights _and that's one thing I won't do. I won't step on her rights as Tony's wife. I _respect_ her - and _Tony_ too much to do that."

Bruce nodded.

"Are we clear on that point?" Rhodey asked after a beat of silence, giving a brief look at each of the members of their circle, with his eyes lingering the longest on Steve, "I know we need to take him off this field, but I won't do anything to hurt her any more than she's already hurting right now."

They all nodded their understanding with Rogers giving his concession to Rhodey with a softly spoken, "We'll follow your lead, General."

With a nod Rhodey looked towards Pepper, "Okay, everyone do me a favor and hang back while I talk to-" He stopped talking when he saw movement from her direction, and turned his head in time to see her straighten up.

They all watched as she pressed one final, gentle kiss on Tony's undamaged, cooling cheek, and set herself back on her knees. She turned towards the kid, obviously saying something to him which they all couldn't hear. The kid's head bobbed numbly, and in the next second Pepper wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and together they rose off the hard ground. As they walked in their direction, away from Tony, Rhodey was sure he was not the only who noticed that Pepper was practically holding Peter upright as the boy was leaning heavily on her.

She was seeing to the kid's well-being not more than half an hour after she had to say goodbye to her husband, just like _Tony_ would have wanted her to.

Pepper Potts Stark really was one of the most amazing, strongest women he had ever known in his life, and he prayed that once the fact Tony was really gone this time became real for her, when it really hit, that she wouldn't be shattered beyond the point of no return.

Pepper guided them both straight towards him, and he took a few steps forward to meet her halfway.

"Jim... he's... _he's_..." She stopped, closed her eyes, biting her lip.

For his part, seeing her hurting _this_ much, in obvious such agony she could barely breathe much less speak, made Rhodey want to tear Thanos apart with his bare hands. It is exactly what he would have done too if the Titan hadn't already been erased from the universe like he did to half of the universe three years ago.

To spare her from having to try to get any more of that sentence out, he put a hand on her free shoulder, "I know. I know he _is_."

"He needs to be... to be..." She gave a pitiful sob, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

The hand that Tony had clutched to his chest, Rhodey realized with renewed agony.

He took a deep breath, praying he could say what he needed to say to her without breaking down himself.

"I know. We'll... _I'll_ take care of him, Pepper, I promise. Don't you worry about that."

Pepper opened her eyes again, tears falling as she nodded, whispering, "Thank... thank you."

There was no need for her to think him _ever_ but he couldn't get the words out before he could see movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked to see an unfamiliar man standing there, dressed in robes that reminded Rhodey of those Strange wore, only different in color.

The man bowed slightly, then he addressed Pepper, "My name is Wong. At the request of Master... _Doctor_ Strange, I will take you home now if it is what you wish, Mrs. Stark."

She nodded but didn't say anything.

Rhodey wondered _why_ Wong was the one who had offered to take Pepper home and not Strange himself. He looked around for the sorcerer, and the man was nowhere in sight.

_Coward_, he thought with venom.

In the meantime, Wong began to move his hands in a circle, and a glowing trail appeared in front of him, much like sparklers on the Fourth of July look when you move them really fast. Then as they continued to look on, Tony and Pepper's home appeared before them in the space between the glowing circle.

The wizard gestured towards the gateway, "Whenever you are ready."

Pepper nodded, then started to walk forward with her arm still around Peter's shoulders.

"Wait!" Peter exclaimed when they were almost through the portal, "W-we c-can't l-leave M-m... him _alone_! We can't! We can't!" The poor kid started sobbing again, laying his head down on Pepper's shoulder.

When her eyes met his, Rhodey could tell that Pepper was nearly at her rope's end. He quickly acted, touching the teenager's shoulder, "Peter, I want you to listen to me, okay?"

The distraught kid gave him a nod, the only indication he gave that he was listening to what Rhodey had to say next to him.

"We're not going to leave him alone... _I'm_ not going to leave him alone. I promise you, Peter, that I am going to stay with him..." he looked at Pepper as he said this, and when she nodded he went on, "And I'm going to see to it that he's taken care of. You need to leave now. You need to go home."

_Just like I _always have _from the the time he was a kid himself no bigger than_ you are, _Peter_.

Now the only way he would ever be able to do anything for him after Tony was laid to rest would be to watch over everyone else he'd loved and had now left behind because of the sacrifice he had had to make. A tidal wave of pain over him at this thought, then the one after it left him almost breathless. Taking a few more deep breaths, he pushed through with what he needed to say to the boy for he knew Tony had loved Peter as much as he had loved his own kids.

"B-but I w-want to h-help!"

"I know that you do. I understand that you do. But you're exhausted and do you know what?" he asked, trying to keep his tone gentle yet firm, "I think you need to go do what Tony would want you to do now, what he would tell you to do..." _If he were here._ "And that's you need to go home now, find your aunt, and get some rest. Okay? Did you understand what I said?"

Peter nodded his head against Pepper's shoulder, his eyes so dull as he answered, "Yeah, yeah I... I understand." The teen sounded like he was resigned, resigned to the fact that once again, all the adults thought he was just a kid and therefore too young to have to do something so adult to do like what Peter knew Rhodey would be doing within the next few minutes.

He may have thought that he wanted to help them take care of Tony, but Rhodey's greater life experience told him something different. He knew that in the years to come Peter's memories of this day would be horrible enough without adding the memory of helping to carry Tony's dead body off of this field to their totality. He knew this because he didn't want to have such a memory himself. But as much as it would hurt now that the moment was here, Rhodey knew as much as he didn't want to have to be the one to do it, he also knew he would never let anyone else be the one to carry Tony off the field.

He thought of something else, something he hoped would make the kid feel better about leaving Tony behind. It wouldn't exactly be the way he had wanted to help, but maybe it would help Peter if the kid did as he was about to be asked to do. He just hoped that Wong would be patient enough to accommodate this if Peter actually agreed to it.

"There is a way you can help out, Peter," Rhodey began slowly.

"What is it?"

He inwardly winced at the teen's monotone response. They really needed to get this boy off this field before any more damage was done to him.

"Look, I know you need to go find your aunt as soon as possible, Peter, because I don't doubt she's looking for you right now. But could you wait just a little while so you can go with Pepper? Please? I think it'd be a help to her and you could see Ethan and Eva too before Mr. Wong takes you to find your aunt." Rhodey looked over at Wong as he said this, and was relieved the wizard gave him a confirming nod.

"Can you do that for me please, Peter? I'd be very thankful if you would do it." He watched the kid closely, while he made his request. He considered just for a fraction of a second adding the words _So would Tony._ but he decided against it since they were both emotionally manipulative and hurtful.

Peter nodded, this time lifting his head, and looking at him, "Yeah, yeah I can."

"Thank you, Peter."

The portal Wong had conjured was still waiting for them when Peter wrapped his arm around Pepper. He was now supporting her as much as she was him. As they stepped through the gate, along with the sorcerer, Pepper gave Rhodey a grateful look before she vanished to the other side.

After the portal closed, Rhodey allowed himself a moment to catch his breath before he had to deal with keeping the promise he'd made Pepper. He was dreading what immediately came next almost as much as the fact that in moments he would be picking up Tony's body - not just his intoxicated, hurt, or wounded body, but his actual _dead_ body.

_Oh, please grant me the strength to be able to do this_, he thought before he turned around to face the others.

Rhodey could hear the others talking in not so hushed tones now that Pepper had left the field. Of course they were talking about who was going to be the one to carry Tony off the field. It seemed they'd realized that moving him wouldn't be such an easy task since he was still encased in his dysfunctional suit of armor. He decided to stay put for a moment, listen to their discussion without contributing, and see what direction they were taking before he said something.

Bruce's voice was the first one he heard.

"I don't know." Without looking at Banner, Rhodey knows that Bruce is scratching the back of his neck, "If the arc reactor wasn't totally de... um drained, we could uh just push the emergency release button on the armor, and uh lift him out."

"Is there any way we could power up the reactor long enough to activate the release?"

He heard the _shrug_ in the scientist's voice, "I have no idea but I would think the only way to power the reactor this damaged, would be to replace it."

"Which is not an option."

_Thanks, Captain Obvious._

T'Challa's voice broke in, "Since obtaining a new reactor is not an option, someone will need to carry him. But this is only if you do not wish to wait for a transport to arrive from Wakanda."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I'm not sure we have the time to wait much longer before rigor mortis starts to set in."

Man, it hurt to hear the words _rigor mortis_ in a sentence that was about Tony.

"But I thought that was supposed to take a few hours to start setting in."

It was Sam who had said that, and despite the situation it was so good to hear his brother-in-law's voice again. The last three years without him had been very long ones for both Alyssa, and their kids. The only thing to taint the exuberant relief he knew he should be experiencing at this very moment was the fact he had had to trade one brother's life to gain back two others.

"Normally I would say yes it does. But one of the biggest factors regarding how fast or slow it will set in is the environment." Bruce gestured around at the far as the eye could see smoke and debris. "I don't think this is a very good environment right now, for either him or for us _either_."

"Which brings us back to how do we move Tony while he's still in the suit?"

"Well, the truth of the matter is there are only three of us who have enough strength to be lift the Iron Man suit, and with my arm like this," Bruce pointed to his damaged appendage, "There's no way in the world I would be able to pick Tony without out his suit on, so carrying while he is in it, me being the one to carry him is out of the question."

"That leaves you or I to undertake this task," Thor said, looking at Steve, "And because you have always led us on the field of battle, I believe it yours. I yield to you without challenge."

At hearing this, Rhodey knew it was impossible for him to keep quiet any longer. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Steve starting to move towards Tony, and something inside of him said _no, he couldn't just let this happen_. Not when he didn't think it was Rogers right or place to do this for Tony. _He_ was Tony's best friend and _brother _for almost forty years.

This belonged to James Rhodes and James Rhodes _alone_.

He stepped up, then placed himself overtly in between his friend and Steve, "Wait a second, Captain. You don't have to carry Tony. I'll carry him."

Rogers halted at hearing his words, looking at him for a long moment before he said, "I will have to carry him. You can't, not while he's still encased in the armor."

"And since we can't get it off," Bruce muttered.

Rhodey ignored the other man, focusing his attention on the one standing before him.

"No, _I _will carry him!" he said, giving the supersoldier a sharp look. "_I'll_ carry him because after what happened between you two in Siberia, you don't have the right."

The hurt on Steve's face as he replied was unmistakable, "You know Tony… Tony forgave me for what happened there."

"Did he? Did he really forgive you, or did he just put aside all the hurt and bad feelings over what happened in that bunker because the world… _the universe_ needed him to be the bigger man?"

"I guess we'll never know for sure, will we?"

"No, but I know… knew Tony a whole lot longer…" _And better._ "than you did, and I can make a well informed guess as to which one of us he'd want to carry his... him. The fact of the matter is, I am the one who knew him the longest out of _anyone_ standing on this field."

_I'm the one who was his _true_ friend, and I'm the one who was his _brother _through thick or thin_.

"But his armor-"

"Which isn't going to be a problem for me," Rhodey snapped, gesturing to the suit of armor he was wearing, "I know _this_ isn't my old War Machine armor but this suit works almost exactly like it. I can and have carried tanks before when I needed to without _any _problems or requiring help. Do you have any idea how many _tons_ they weigh?"

Rogers never did learn when to let sleeping dogs lie in peace, and he had his mouth open to continue to object when a hand touched his shoulder. He turned his head towards the person, which was none other than Bucky Barnes.

"Steve, let it go. This belongs to _him_ alone, and _not_ to _you_."

It was a relief to see the man actually _listen_ to his friend, and finally stand down.

After a nod of thanks to Barnes, Rhodey slowly turned around, taking slow breaths as he faced towards the direction where his brother was sitting upright but forever unmoving. It took every ounce of his will to make his feet start moving towards Tony. While he walked, he put down his faceplate again, knowing he was going to need the privacy the mask would afford him if he was going to be able to do this next painful, cruel task fate had bequeathed to him.

He was hyper-aware of all eyes following his every move as he knelt down beside Tony, so the first thing he did was turn off his comms, both for internal and external communications. For the next few minutes, while he did one of the hardest if not _the_ hardest things he would have to do in his life, he didn't want the voices of the others breaking in the intimacy of the moment.

Or hear _him_ if he couldn't keep holding back the anguished turmoil inside of him forever. He knew sooner rather than later it would succeed in destroying the little composure he had left.

Taking in a deep breath, he focused his attention on what was left of the man he had called his best friend and brother for almost four decades. There was absolutely no movement, nor reaction from Tony, and the cruel realistic part of him had known there wouldn't be. Still the tiny part of him that hoped, had made a wish there would be. He had hoped in this part of him with every fiber of his being Tony would snap out of this. But when there was nothing from him, no response of any kind, and with a grieved reluctance Rhodey knew he had to get on with this.

"Oh, Tones," he muttered, looking into those dark brown eyes that had always sparkled with so much mischief and had had such a zest for life in them but were now nothing more than emptied, lifeless orbs. It still didn't seem real to him as he stared into them knowing they would never light up again when Tony's eyes met his or when Tony looked at Pepper and their kids.

"If I could, I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat. You know that, right? I'd do it without... well with almost without any hesitation." He added the last part when he thought of Monica, and Colton as leaving them behind would have been hard. But as he looked down at his brother's face, he really had to wonder if leaving them behind would be any harder than what he was about to do?

He stared at Tony for another few seconds then closed his eyes, and reached out to grasp Tony's arms when he felt someone touch his shoulder. Jumping a little, he whirled his head around and up to look into Thor's face.

"Thor, what the..." he muttered before he remembered he'd switched his comms completely off. "Thor?"

Thor didn't speak, he instead reached around to pull his cloak off of his shoulders, and he held it out towards him as an offering. He didn't have to speak for Rhodey to understand what he was offering him, and giving him a nod of thanks, he took the cloak from the demigod. He turned back to Tony, and after a second, he knew he'd need help for this.

"Thor, would you-"

The Asgardian had already joined him on the ground. Then before he had to say anything else, Thor was tender in his movements, as he helped to sit Tony up away from the debris behind him which in turn allowed Rhodey put the cloak over the upper half of his body. The cloak wasn't a perfect solution by any means but at least now Rhodey knew he would be able to carry Tony away from here with him less exposed and with as much dignity as they could muster to give to Earth's greatest fallen hero.

Once Tony was shrouded in the cloak, Thor helped Rhodey place Tony's body across his shoulders in the way he'd been taught how to carry a wounded comrade a long time ago during his days of Officer Training School. Once he had his burden settled on his shoulders, he slowly stood up. He made certain the arm he was holding onto was the one without the Stones.

"Are you ready, my friend?" Thor asked in a low voice

Blinking away tears, Rhodey gave him a nod, knowing that he was as ready as he could ever be to carry his dead brother off of the field that he had died on. As Thor left him alone, he looked for Strange. The sorcerer was still not in sight anywhere for as far as the eye could see, and Rhodey couldn't find it within himself to be either surprised or angry. He couldn't afford to waste energy on either emotion, not when he'd made a promise to Pepper and himself that he would take care of Tony this one last time.

He also wouldn't care about Strange's lack of presence if it were not for the fact the wizard had promised he would help them with getting Tony to Wakanda in a matter of minutes instead of hours. With the hopes that Strange would actually keep his word, he started walking towards where the others had lined up into two single file lines, clearing a path for him to walk right down the middle. The tears started flowing again for him as he came to the realization of what they were doing for the man he carried on his shoulders.

_I wish you could see this, Tony. Oh_ how _I wish you could see this! _

He stopped just short of the beginning of the Honor Guard they had formed. His eyes went down both sides, noting right off that Steve was the first one on the end of the left two rows while Carol Danvers stood opposite of him on the other row. Looking away from their familiar faces, his eyes scanned down the rows, noting each person or being as the case might be, that made up the double lines of honor.

Golden sparks started to appear at the far end of the honor guard rows, and grew larger until Rhodey could see what were clear African plains on the other side with King T'Challa already waiting for them. Rhodey looked over at Rogers, who in turned gave him a nod before he looked straight ahead, straightening to attention.

With a loud voice, he issued a command to all present, "Avengers, **ASSEMBLE**!"


End file.
